Cyclone Gabrielle debris: Gisborne council wins award for AI mapping project
Gisborne District Council’s use of an AI mapping tool to tackle the region’s woody debris was recognised for innovation at a national local government conference.
Local Government New Zealand’s (LGNZ) SuperLocal conference, held in Rotorua last week, brought together more than 600 local government and industry leaders from across the country.
On Thursday, four awards were presented, including the SuperIdea award, which went to Gisborne District Council for its Turning the Tide: Large Woody Debris AI-assisted Removal project.
The award recognised innovation in problem-solving, including new approaches and significant cost savings.
The winning idea had to address community needs, deliver long-term value and have the potential to be adopted by other councils.
The council worked with forest consultancy service Interpine to develop an AI-assisted system to map the large volumes of woody debris left along rivers and coastlines by Cyclone Gabrielle.
The technology enabled teams to move away from clearing sites one by one and instead assess and prioritise removal based on actual risk.
The project also received the Association of Local Government Information Management’s Data and Insights Project of the Year award, the 2026 Taituarā Members’ Choice award and the Datascape Award for Digital Local Government.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz said the latest award recognised the people behind the region’s recovery.
“Cyclone Gabrielle left us facing challenges on an enormous scale. Our teams had to find new and smarter ways of working, and this project is a great example of that.
“What makes me particularly proud is that this innovation was developed to solve a very real problem for our communities – helping us make better decisions, use recovery funding wisely and focus our efforts where they would make the biggest difference.”
Chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann said the tool combined local expertise with technology to make recovery work more efficient and effective.
“While it was developed out of a difficult situation, what we have learned has real potential to help other councils prepare for and respond to future events.”
Council woody debris programme manager Rod Sheridan last year said the technology had been a “game-changer”, providing a smarter and more cost-effective way to identify the location of woody debris and estimate volumes quickly.
It allowed entire catchments to be efficiently cleared and improved planning, he said.
The approach supported $50 million in recovery work and saved more than $1m by helping the council prioritise areas of greatest risk.
LGNZ said the council had shown how technology and local knowledge could strengthen recovery and help prepare for future events.
Waikato Regional Council won the SuperSteward Award for its infrastructure supporting fish passage through fish stations, while Taupō District Council won the SuperCollab Award for its Oroko Rise housing development, which targets smaller homes for moderate-income households.
Manawatū District councillor Alison Short won the SuperHuman Award.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.