Wheao Catchment Group
Gain 6 Essential Skills That Will Lift Your Catchment
Free thanks to Leading from the Land Tairāwhiti
Ian Ruru presenting the Mauri Compass. Wi Pere Trust Ahuwhenua Trophy Winners Sheep and Beef 2022 and Horticulture 2023.
6 Skills in 6 Hours
In six hours we'll get through at least 6 of these — the same methods ecologists use, the same data regional councils accept, all using the FREE Mauri Compass Platform on your phone and laptop.
The Mauri Compass App
One App to Rule Them All
15 surveys. One Platform. Zero cost. The Mauri Compass turns your phone into a field lab — water, bugs, birds, tuna, riparian, all in your pocket. Works anywhere, synchronises everywhere.
Clarity, Temperature & pH
Test Your Stream
Cheap Tricks and tips to test your streams' biochemistry.
Macroinvertebrate Index (MCI)
Bug Bingo
Why MCI? Bugs have proved to be a simple yet reliable tool for measuring ecological health. We will have a game of bug bingo to see which bugs are better than others.
Tuna Identification
Is this a longfin or shortfin?
Longfin eels are like the Kiwi, they are endemic [unique] to NZ and can live over 100 years. Their incredible life cycle tells the story of the Wheao Catchment.
5-Minute Bird Count
DOC 5MBC
The five-minute bird count (5MBC) is used to monitor progress in ecological restoration projects e.g. the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project.
Stream Bank Report Card
Read Your Riparian
Walk the bank and score what you see — canopy cover, bank stability, buffer width, diversity, stock access. This is the skill that connects the fencing investment to the outcome.
Try out our new Biospheres
Never lose your precious data again. Your data saved offline and to the cloud. Synchronised across your Catchment Group team members. Drone imagery processed with species detection, vegetation health mapping, and trend analysis across seasons. No paper, no worries!
See It In Action
Watch the Mauri Compass in action — field surveys, data capture, and real-time reporting from your phone.
Programme
Thursday 2 April 2026 — Waikohu Golf Club & Wheao Stream
9:00am – 3:00pm · Morning tea, lunch & afternoon tea provided
Karakia and Introductions
Welcome, karakia, and introductions
Why We're Here
The Wheao Catchment Group story. What Wi Pere Trust is doing at Otara — the fencing, the planting, the 300-year vision.
Pathfinder Live Demo
Otara Station boundary, freshwater species, waterways, heritage sites, constraint analysis.
Drive to Wheao Stream
10-minute drive to the field site
At the Stream
Acknowledge the awa. Health & safety — slippery banks, cold water, handling live animals.
Tuna Health Assessment
Hinaki pull, species ID, measure, score condition, compare with 2007 baseline.
Water Quality Testing
Clarity tube — everyone takes a reading. Temperature. pH. Dissolved oxygen. Record in the app.
Morning Tea
At the stream. Thermos, biscuits, fruit.
Macroinvertebrate Survey (MCI)
Kick-net in 3 habitats. Sort into white trays. Identify using laminated charts. Calculate the MCI score together.
Riparian & Bush Assessment
Walk a 100m stream reach. Score bank stability, vegetation, canopy cover. Compare fenced vs unfenced sections.
DOC Bird Count
Everyone stops. Silent for 5 minutes. Listen and record species heard and seen.
Lunch
Catering provided. Compare MCI scores, share photos.
Drone Mapping Session
Live drone flight over the Wheao Stream corridor. 360-degree panoramas. Vegetation assessment. Mauri Compass Amplified Intelligence [AI] species detection preview.
Soil Health
Dig a spade square near the stream bank. Score structure, colour, smell, earthworm count.
Drive Back & Afternoon Tea
Return to Waikohu Golf Club
App Download & Install
For anyone who hasn't yet. Quick walkthrough: how to start a survey on your own property, GPS capture, offline mode.
Reporting Demo
Generate a PDF report from today's data — live on screen. MCI score, water quality, tuna assessment, riparian scores.
What Happens Next
How the catchment group can continue monitoring. Seasonal visits. The Pathfinder consent watch.
Open Discussion & Q&A
What surprised you? What would you monitor on your own property?
Karakia Whakamutunga
Close the day.
Finish
Time to test it yourselves.
Your Facilitators
Experienced practitioners in environmental monitoring
Ian Ruru
Wi Pere Trust Scholar 1996
GISBORNE
Independent Hearings Commissioner. Chair Endorsed.
[email protected]
Riaki Ruru
Wi Pere Trust Scholar 2018
AUCKLAND
Technical Lead. Bachelor of Environmental Management.
[email protected]Register Your Interest
Thursday 2 April 2026, 9am–3pm at Waikohu Golf Club, Te Karaka. Catering provided. Spaces are limited.
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