Pou 1 Community Adaptation Planning

Together alongside communities and tangata whenua, Council will create Community Adaptation Plans for increasing natural hazards. The plans will come from recommendations from the community, tangata whenua partners and stakeholders.  Council will ultimately decide on these plans.

Community Adaptation Plans will deliver:

• Short, medium and long term responses to current and future risks

• Technical reports and assessments, informed by Te Ao Māori cultural expertise and local knowledge

• Collaboration with communities and shared decision-making

How are we rolling this out?

Community adaptation planning will happen in two stages. The stages focus on places with the highest risk and vulnerability to coastal hazards and river flooding.

For more information on the assessment process of stage areas, see here:

Community Adaptation Programme - Recommendation Report

Community Adaptation Programme - Risk Screening Report

Stage 1 is about to start

We are about to start community adaptation planning across Hokianga, Whangapē, Herekino and Waipoua areas.

From September 2025 – March 2026:

• We will talk with communities and tangata whenua (hapū, marae whānau) about coastal erosion, coastal flooding, river flooding and other natural hazards.

• We will engage communities and hapū to decide what’s included in the project and to set up community panels.

Watch this space. A dedicated project page is on its way.

If we are not coming to your area soon, but you’re ready to begin adaptation planning, see Pou 3 for more information.