Highly accurate 3D mapping of the Whanganui District’s entire surface will be fast-tracked following a funding boost of about $1 million.
Lidar (light detection and ranging), also known as elevation technology, uses laser sensors on aircraft that fly over a landscape and capture a 3D view of the land.
A report from Whanganui District Council chief executive David Langford said tribal authority Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui (NTT) had secured $600,000 from Kānoa - the Government’s Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit - to capture Lidar data.
Earlier in 2024, NTT had approached Toitū te Whenua Land Information New Zealand for data for the Whanganui River Catchment to support building long-term resilience, his report said.
NTT chief executive officer Nancy Tuaine told the Chronicle it had entered into a relationship with Australia’s Griffith University, which developed a data-driven tool to build catchment resilience.
“When we began that work, we discovered one of the foundation maps you put in is Lidar,” she said.
“It was then our team found out our region hadn’t actually been done.”
Tuaine said Lidar was essential to NTT’s work with the university and Te Awa Tupua (2017 Whanganui River Claims Settlement Act) was “about everybody making better decisions and doing things collectively”.
The act recognises the Whanganui River as an indivisible and living whole.
“Lidar would cost around $1 million so I just thought ‘Let’s lead off and go and find the money'.”
Speaking at a recent council meeting, Langford said Whanganui was one of the few areas left in the country that did not have complete Lidar coverage.
“We [council] did have a budget in the long-term plan to progressively close that gap over the next 10 years - chipping away and spending about $120,000 a year.”
His report said following a funding request from NTT, the council allocated the $120,000 originally budgeted for Lidar work in 2025/26 to NTT’s project so it could meet timeframes set by Kānoa.
An additional $5000 had been committed from rangatahi at Rānana Marae, with $375,000 coming from Te Pou Tupua, it said.
Te Pou Tupua is the face and voice of Te Awa Tupua, currently represented by Turama Hawira and Keria Ponga.
The report said co-funding provided the opportunity for the council to get complete Lidar data for the district at a fraction of the cost and sooner than if it had continued “bit by bit” as budget allowed.
“This is a significant future saving for ratepayers.”
Langford told councillors it was a great example of how partnering up could add additional value to the community.
“It’s good news and shows what we can achieve when we let the community take a bit of a lead in some of this work.”
Tuaine said costs did not need to be barriers if willing parties worked together.
“For us as a community, everybody will be able to access that data and will be able to understand more,” she said.
“I think it’s a great project to start the year off.”
In 2023, the technology revealed evidence of about 800 previously unidentified prehistoric landslide sites south of Auckland.
