Extending from Ruapehu in the north to Horowhenua in the south, the Horizons Region is a true blend of rural, urban and native New Zealand. It's home to a diverse landscape and a great bunch of people committed to making it even better.
At Horizons Regional Council our 220 staffwork with communities in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region to manage the Region's land, air and water resources. We preserve our patch of native NZ by keeping pests at bay and protecting our unique biodiversity; we lead our region's road, rail, public transport and total mobility planning; reduce the risk and impact of flooding; provide accurate information to guide decision-making; and lead the Region's response to natural disasters. It's a big job, often spanning district boundaries, but it's essential to ensuring the resources we enjoy today are available for the future.
In a Region carved by rivers, flanked by coast and shaped by hills it's not just about the impact people have on our environment - we also need to prepare for what Mother Nature sends our way. Managing risk is one of our core responsibilities and the team at Horizons plays a key role in helping our communities through emergency events.
From big events like the floods of 2004 where four rivers burst their banks and 2,500,000 tonnes of soil were lost down the Manawatu river, to smaller events like the recent rumblings at Mount Tongariro, our team has a coordinated plan in place. Flood plain mapping and modelling, flood forecasting, river height warnings and planning all help us keep a finger on the pulse and assist the community in staying safe. We even assist beyond our Region when necessary, manning the 'missing persons' phone line following the Canterbury quakes and sending staff to assist when Rena hit the reef in Tauranga.
There's never a dull moment in a career with Horizons. We know success is driven by excellent people and we're committed to encouraging a motivated and well-informed team.
