Catchment Advisors provide advice to landowners, communities and catchment groups who are working towards positive water quality outcomes. This includes carrying out stream health assessments, identifying high risk areas, and practical actions to improve water quality and biodiversity, especially in the riparian zone next to waterways.
ORC has divided the region into five Freshwater Management Units (FMU). The Clutha Mata-Au FMU, being quite large, is further divided into five rohe (area). Each member of the Catchment Advisor team is responsible for one or two of these areas.
Catchment Advisors can help individuals and groups in the following ways:
- Demonstrate stream health assessment methods so people/ community groups can undertake future stream health assessments independently. These assessments allow comparisons with similar sites and streams and help focus local restoration efforts
- Provide advice on good management practices that can protect waterways, local biodiversity and water use efficiency
- Connect communities with the science about local waterways, as well as other resources and expertise within ORC
- Engage with and assist catchment groups, community groups, primary sector groups and individual landowners
- Give advice on applications for ORC’s ECO Fund
Max grew up on a family sheep and beef farm in Central Otago. Following his school years in Dunedin, Max studied Agricultural Management and Rural Valuation at Lincoln University. Whilst completing his university studies, Max spent time working across several different farm systems around the South Island.
Following his graduation, Max spent further time working on-farm in Otago & Canterbury before departing on a two-year Overseas Experience. Max’s OE was largely spent working on farms throughout the UK and Ireland followed by a short stint working in London. During this time, Max also took the opportunity to experience travel throughout Europe.
During the COVID pandemic, Max returned to New Zealand to work on the family farm before joining the Resource Consent Team at Otago Regional Council. Max has since joined the ORC Catchment Advisor Team where his regulatory background and practical farming experience have proven valuable in promoting sustainable land management practices and helping achieve positive outcomes for communities throughout Otago.
Outside of work, Max enjoys spending time hunting, fishing, and supporting local rugby.
Contact Max today:
Email Max.Cameron@orc.govt.nz
Phone 027 208 1901
Becky grew up in Nelson, tramping a lot with her family and quickly acquired a love for the environment. With friends and family living on farms, she equally enjoyed her time in the agricultural space. Taking Ag Hort in high school, she started a Junior Young Farmers Club; just the first step in bringing these two worlds together.
And while Becky’s artistic talent almost had her attending Massey’s Fine Art School, an epiphany following her gap year in Canada (and a quick google of environmental science), had her quickly changing to conservation and ecology at Lincoln University the very next day.
Becky completed a Master of Conservation and Ecology over the next five years, and a thesis on the threatened Robust Grasshopper (Brachaspis robustus) which are clumsy creatures, built to look like the rocks from the braided riverbeds they inhabit. She also worked as an Animal Behaviour Technician for Zero Invasive Predators while studying, running behavioural trials on mammalian predators.
Following university, Becky secured a position as an ecologist for a pilot project with the NZ Landcare Trust; Farming with Native Biodiversity. Over the next couple of years, she worked with 40 case study farms creating Biodiversity Management plans for them.
Becky brings a wealth of skills to her role as a Catchment Advisor, including biodiversity farm planning which she enjoys, as it brings both her loves – the environment and farming – together.
To satisfy her thirst for adventure on land and sea, you can catch Becky mountain biking, skiing or trying her hand at surfing.
Contact Becky today:
Email Becky.Clements@orc.govt.nz
Phone 027 775 5647
Jack grew up just out of Invercargill and has accomplished a lot in his young working career. While attending the University of Otago studying Ecology and Marine Science, Jack also worked with a consultancy group, Aukaha, helping with environmental work and consents.
Jack then spent two years helping to run a freshwater crayfish farm owned by a local forestry company, with duties including contract management, stream sampling, mitigation work and compliance.
While Jack finished his Masters in Ecology, he worked as a wool classer at PGG Wrightson and is no stranger to the farming sector.
He now brings this experience, a background in forestry and farming, and his relationship with his local rūnaka, Puketeraki, to his new role as Catchment Advisor for the Taieri at ORC.
Jack enjoys anything to do with the outdoors, including hunting, fishing and tramping.
Contact Jack today:
Email Jack.Mathieson@orc.govt.nz
Phone 027 975 3284
Oliver's upbringing in Dunedin instilled in him a love for the outdoors. Before going to university, he gained qualifications in Outdoor Adventure Management and spent five summers kayak guiding and exploring in Fiordland National Park.
Fuelled by his passion for the environment, Oliver studied geography and environmental management at the University of Otago. This academic background laid the groundwork for his commitment to protecting and enhancing te taiao (the environment) through empowering local communities.
After moving to Wānaka, Oliver became involved in community environmental projects working at WAI Wānaka. As a Project Manager, Community Activator and later the Urban Facilitator for WAI Wānaka, he led projects such as the Wānaka Water Project and the Urban Catchments Project, taking a whole community approach and collaborating with local community groups, farmers, urban residents, and government agencies to preserve freshwater environments in the Upper Clutha area through community-led action.
Outside of work, Oliver enjoys biking, kayaking, and exploring in the mountains. His dedication to environmental conservation through community-led change guides his advocacy for the protection and enhancement of te taiao.
Contact Oliver Eden-Mann today:
Email Oliver.Eden-Mann@orc.govt.nz
Phone 027 722 2145
Paula comes from a South Otago sheep and beef farm so has farming in her blood.
She has worked as a technician for AgResearch measuring gas emission and collecting water samples, a Field Rep and Nutrient Specialist for Ballance Agri-Nutrients and lived in Perth and Nepal where farming takes quite a different form!
Paula now assists on her partner’s farm and enjoys her time as a Catchment Advisor for ORC helping other farmers with agricultural activities including irrigation, intensive winter grazing and farm system solutions.
And she achieves this all while still fitting in a game of squash and time in the outdoors.
Contact Paula Macfie today:
Email Paula.Macfie@orc.govt.nz
Phone 027 445 4473
From a young age, Janice was fascinated by freshwater invertebrates and how they and other species interacted with each other in freshwater and coastal areas. Following high school, Janice, originally from Taiwan, moved to New Zealand to complete a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Marine Science at the University of Otago; its zoology programme rated highly against other universities around the world.
Janice has always enjoyed the field of science; collecting data, observing, being outside and getting hands on with nature. Before graduating, she held a position at the Royal Albatross Centre on the Otago Peninsula as a seasonal guide. She also organised community engagement events, school visits and educational programmes on environmental issues and ran events with the New Zealand International Science Festival, Enviroschools and Sustainable Coastlines.
Through these community events, Janice found a passion for meeting and engaging with people over a love of wildlife, science and environmental issues and following her five years with the Albatross Centre, she returned to Otago Uni to complete a Master of Applied Science in Environmental Management.
Wondering how decisions were made at a government and local council level regarding rules and regulations, Janice took a job at Environment Canterbury as a summer advocate for freshwater biosecurity. This involved engaging boaties and other water users on how to prevent the spread of freshwater pests.
Once summer was over, Janice was on the hunt for her next adventure in freshwater science and now works alongside a team of catchment advisors at Otago Regional Council. When not engaging with farmers, growers, and members of industry for a healthier tomorrow, she’s surfing at Warrington, tramping the Silver Peaks, or curled up with a good book.
Contact Janice Huang today:
Email Janice.Huang@orc.govt.nz
Phone 027 351 7732
Pip grew up in Fairlie, on a high-country sheep, beef, deer and cropping farm. She attended Massey University and completed a Bachelor of Applied Science with a focus on farm management. While travelling overseas, Pip held a position as a ski instructor before entering the world of finance, and later, managed both the billing and field service teams for Meridian Energy.
She then returned to her roots in a farm-related role, working as a field advisor for Ravensdown, consulting with farmers on nutrient management. This position provided an opportunity for an overseas trip, meeting cooperatives in Germany, inspecting waterbodies, zero emission plants, mines and water testing facilities, sparking an interest in water and a realisation we need to do more here in New Zealand.
After a period of time farming sheep and beef in Roxburgh, bringing up a family, and owning a property maintenance business in Wānaka, Pip has joined the Catchment Advisor team at ORC where she can apply many of her experiences and skills in an advisory role. She now looks for win/win solutions for the farmer and the environment.
Pip likes to take time out skiing or mountain biking.
Contact Pip today:
Email Pip.Eckhoff@orc.govt.nz
Phone 027 246 9008
A lot of the work the Catchment Advisor team do has them out in the field, travelling the region, educating schools, groups and individuals, explaining some of the science behind the environment and assisting landowners and sectors with practices that are both productive for them but considerate of the environment.
