We connect the dots so local action happens faster, and reaches further.
Connecting people, land & water across the 14 catchments of Te Karamū and the Heretaunga Plains in Hawke's Bay
The Karamū River Catchment Collective brings farmers, growers, iwi, schools, businesses and residents together across Te Karamū and the Heretaunga Plains, Hawke's Bay. We help good ideas for land and water get funded and done.
We connect.
We bring landowners, iwi, community, council, scientists and funders to the same table.
We fund.
We help members find funding, and we co-invest so upfront costs are not a barrier.
We deliver.
We plan and run practical projects, from wetlands and planting to trapping and monitoring, and we share what works.
What we do
We make it easier to care for the land and water we all rely on.
From the first conversation onwards, we're with you the whole way.
The catchment
Te Karamū is the working heart of the Heretaunga Plains.
Te Karamū flows from the Raukawa Range and Poukawa Basin, past Havelock North and Hastings, to the Clive River and Hawke Bay. Along the way it waters orchards, vineyards and farms, carries the city's stormwater, and has fed whānau and hapū for generations.
It was once the main channel of the Ngaruroro River, until the great flood of 1867 changed its course. Its name comes from the karamū trees that once covered much of Hastings.
1867
the flood that shaped Te Karamū
96,920
Hectares across the Greater Karamū
14
sub-catchments, each with local priorities
Healthy stream, healthy land, healthy communities.
Our Progress 2025-2026
What we’ve achieved together so far
$900k MPI funding secured for sub-catchment groups through to 2028
$24,500+additional co-funding secured
$45,500+invested to date in Toward Predator Free Karamū
6,600+ native plants in the ground
8schools 213 students and 147 hours of student learning
505 hours of inkind time contributed by 175 volunteers
Recent Projects
See what's happening across Te Karamū.
Freshwater & Wetlands
Waipuna Wetland Restoration, Havelock North
Predator Free Te Karamū
Karamū Trapping Collective
Local Businesses
Irongate Collective
Whether you farm, live in town, own a lifestyle block, or simply enjoy exploring the catchment, there’s a way to get involved.
Get Involved
Find your place in the Collective.
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Farmers & growers
Funding, advice and on-farm support for the changes you want to make.
Help finding and applying for funding
Co-investment in fencing and planting
Field days with people who farm like you
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Iwi & mana whenua
Caring for the mauri of Te Karamū, together and on your terms.
Support for marae and hapū-led restoration
Connection to science and monitoring
Space to share mātauranga
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Schools & community
Plant, count, test and learn about the stream on your doorstep.
Community and school planting days
Citizen science you can join
Borrow a trap from the Trap Library
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Local businesses
Put your support into local, visible projects your team can be part of.
Project sponsorship
Staff volunteer days
Reporting on the difference you make
Working together with
