About Environment Network Manawatū

Environmental initiatives thrive on diversity and collaboration

Environment Network Manawatū (ENM) was formed in 2000 (and incorporated in 2001) with the aim of improving communication, coordination, and cooperation between environmental community groups.

in 2023 ENM is now the environment hub for the Manawatū Region with the key purpose of facilitating and enabling communication, cooperation, and increasing collective action amongst its member groups and the wider community. ENM provides leadership by underpinning, fostering and encouraging environmental initiatives in the region. Our 65 current member groups are from throughout the Manawatū River Catchment with interests including biodiversity regeneration, freshwater management, citizen science, food security and resilience, sustainable living, alternative energies, and active transport. The network is organised into two collective focus areas; Manawatū Food Action Network and Manawatū River Source to Sea. . Our constitutional purposes are to:

1. coordinate and communicate the efforts of the member groups to enhance the local environment;
2. act as a central point of access to environmental information;
3. advocate for ecological sustainability and matters of agreed environmental significance;
4. work in partnership with iwi to recognise kaitiakitanga and environmental aims and objectives in common;
5. liaise with similar organisations elsewhere in New Zealand and around the world as appropriate, to source and share ideas for environmental projects and issues.

View a copy of our constitution here.

We are governed by our members

ENM is unusual in being governed by its members. An Annual General Meeting is held each year, at which the Management Committee is elected. These people are drawn from our member groups and affiliate members. The Committee takes an active role in the organisation, and sets the direction for staff activities. All are Welcome at the AGM, which is held in October.

Members may request a copy of Management Committee minutes from the ENM Administrator.

Bios of Management Committee members and staff may be viewed here.

We are grateful to our many supporters

• Palmerston North City Council (PNCC)
• Lottery Community
• Eastern and Central Community Trust
• Community Organization Grants Scheme (COGS)
• Pub Charity
• Horizons Regional Council (HRC)
• The Mazda Foundation
• The ANZ Staff Foundation.
• The DOC Jobs for Nature Initiative.
• Shanlyn Family Trust
• Manawatū River Leaders’ Accord

Our collectives and their projects

Manawatū Food Action Network (MFAN)

MFAN is a collective of social service and environmental organisations (and other community stakeholders) working together to increase collaboration, education and awareness around issues of food security, food resilience and food localisation.  Currently MFAN’s main focus is implementation of the recently developed 4412 Kai Resilience Strategy.

Manawatū River Source to Sea (S2S)

Manawatū River Source to Sea (S2S) is a collective of ENM member groups working together with the vision of engaging the community in collective action to enhance biodiversity and the mauri of the river in the Manawatū River catchment, and to build community wellbeing. The collective is currently delivering two projects, The Plastic Pollution Challenge and the Ruahine Kiwi Project.