Christchurch West Melton Water Zone Committee

Mike is the current Chairperson of the Water and Wildlife Habitat Trust and has professional experience in environmental management, catchment management and leading community environmental groups in Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Mike is also a Trustee of the Eco Action Nursery Trust, supporting schools to grow eco sourced endemic plants for the red zone.

Mike grew up in Australia and lives in Christchurch.

Brynlea has qualifications in sustainability and outdoor education with a good understanding of behaviour change. She did a research dissertation on the motivators and barriers that students find when implementing pro-environmental behaviour.

She has professional experience in resource management. Brynlea has been involved in community gardens and has youth leadership skills.

Brynlea grew up in Christchurch, lives in Christchurch and enjoys the outdoors.

Helen has a long-standing interest and professional involvement in groundwater and is a hydrogeologist. She has an understanding of Christchurch and Canterbury groundwater systems and the impacts of agricultural intensification and earthquakes on groundwater.

Helen grew up in Britain and lives in Christchurch. She enjoys water-based recreation on the Ōtākaro/Avon River and other Canterbury waterways.

Cailin has a role as an Outdoor Educator in Ōtautahi, and has a strong connection to our environment. Cailin would love to help develop actions to sustain our environment and waterways for future generations to come. She supports the Zone Committee’s vision for its urban waterways to be healthy and for its communities to have a potable supply of untreated groundwater into the future.

Oscar is a student at the University of Canterbury, studying law and media and communications. He is a member of the Regional Leadership, Climate and Community Resilience Committee and was also previously a member of our Youth Rōpū.

Arapata has strong historical family ties with Christchurch waterways. His great-great-great grandfather Te Muru was a Kaitiaki (guardian) for the Heathcote/Opawaho River.

Arapata and his family, who live in Tuahiwi, still have a deep sense of belonging with the natural environment and its ability to nourish whānau.

Arapata is currently employed with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu as the Kāiarahi Whakapapa in the Whakapapa Unit.

Amber Moke (Ngāi Tahu, Tainui) is multi-disciplinary with experience in visual communications and project support to a range of organisations, community groups and industries. She is currently assisting in research towards a Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge (SfTI) exploring Clean Water Technology (CWT) for Freshwater Wellbeing. She is also learning how to weave (raranga) and maintain the side projects while being a mum of two in Ōhinehou Lyttelton.