Wai Tūwhera o te Taiao – Open Waters Aotearoa
At its heart, Wai Tūwhera o te Taiao – Open Waters Aotearoa is about building bridges between people and nature.
About the programme
Our Wai Tūwhera o te Taiao – Open Waters Aotearoa programme connects communities with science and their local environment, through exploration and discovery.
What is environmental DNA
Environmental DNA, or eDNA, refers to all the tiny traces of genetic material that is left behind as living things pass through water or soil.
How we collect and analyse eDNA
Because DNA is a tiny molecule found within the cells of living creatures (along with other molecular bits and bobs), you need special tools to pick up it up.
Explore the Wai Tūwhera o te Taiao map
Explore our eDNA map and discover the species around Aotearoa New Zealand.
Community feature stories
Each month our pānui (newsletter) includes a feature story from a group, hapū or school participating in Wai Tūwhera o te Taiao. We also showcase a unique c…
Get involved
If you are part of a community group, hapū, or school who would like to explore and discover your local waterway using eDNA, get in touch.