River restoration as a sociocultural process: A case study from the Waimatā Catchment, Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract Surveys of sociocultural relations to rivers provide critical baseline information to appraise the effectiveness of restoration programmes. Findings from a mixed‐methods case study (document analysis, catchment‐wide questionnaire, semi‐structured interviews) show how local relations to the Waimatā River vary in upper, middle and lower catchment areas, in part influenced by historical (family) connections. Personal interactions with the river, and implications for mental and physical well‐being, decline with the perceived condition of the river. While respondents indicate the negative influence of governance arrangements upon river condition, they also highlight positive prospects that blue spaces can shape the co‐design and implementation of restoration activities.