The Big Blue Waitākere was commissioned to guide and inform the Waitākere Ranges Local Board in proposing directions, priorities and projects to protect and enhance unique marine and coastal areas within the board’s jurisdiction.

Morphum Environmental was engaged by Auckland Council to prepare this report to:  

• Identify and consolidate existing and available information and data.
• Identify knowledge gaps.
• Provide potential management objectives and actions to address the known issues.
• Present information in a visually engaging way that appeals to a wide audience, including; the board, local communities and the public.
• Identify current stakeholder projects which aim to improve overall environmental condition to provide a knowledge base engagement in the future.

The Waitākere Ranges Local Board area encompasses approximately 58 km of coastline, extending from Raetahinga Point (Bethell’s – Te Henga) to South Titirangi, French Bay and Wood Bay within Manukau Harbour.

In most places, this coastline borders the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park, consisting of 17,000 hectares of contiguous park land. This area is protected by the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Ac 2008 which acknowledges the area’s unique natural and cultural intrinsic values.

The report consolidates existing background information and research within this area, identifies data gaps, and addresses topics such as water quality, seabirds, marine mammals and fisheries.

Eight overarching management objectives were identified for the Waitākere Ranges Local Board marine environment, which are supported by 41 management actions.

These provided a basis for strategic planning decisions, addressing anthropogenic impacts on the coastal and marine environment, and promoting the integrated and sustainable management of the Auckland region’s coastal environment.

The Big Blue Waitākere report was presented at a community hui on the 20th June 2018.  

Key deliverables:

• Visually engaging Big Blue Waitākere Report with a focus on communication of data, using infographics and maps.
• Progress and delivery presentations to Waitākere Ranges Local Board and Auckland Council.
• Community hui and workshop.