Fencing and planting to fore

The importance of streamside fencing and planting to Taranaki’s dairy industry was highlighted today as four farmers were rewarded for their commitment to the work.

Industry leaders were on hand to endorse and promote the Taranaki Regional Council’s Riparian Management Scheme, under which 430,000 plants are being distributed this week – a significant increase on last year’s 350,000 as implementation is ramped up.

The scheme is one the nation’s largest water and soil conservation projects and participants who were early with their plant orders went into the draw for $10,000 worth of prizes sponsored by Fonterra, Revital Fertilisers and Spray It.

“More and more farmers now recognise riparian fencing and planting as part of their day-to-day business. We’ve made good progress so far but it’s vital that the momentum keeps building,” says the Council Chairman, David MacLeod.

The Council has prepared almost 2,400 individual riparian management plans, covering 96% of the region’s dairy farms and approximately 12,500 km of streambank. In total, 7,358 km (72%) of streambank is protected by fencing and 4,517 km (58%) is protected by planting and vegetation.

Mr MacLeod says the programme is transforming Taranaki and Fonterra has long supported it as a major sponsor of the prize draw.

“Now they are telling suppliers that stock must be excluded from waterways, so the message is loud and clear: Now is the time to be getting the fencing and planting completed,” he says.

“The Council’s Regional Fresh Water Plan is up for review and we will be looking long and hard at whether regulation is needed around riparian protection. If farmers don’t demonstrate leadership and get their riparian fencing and planting completed in the next few years, they may well find themselves being led.”

Research in New Zealand and overseas has confirmed that riparian management is an effective means of protecting freshwater quality. Fences prevent stock from fouling waterways and vegetation filters run-off, reduces nutrients entering waterways, provides shade, lowers water temperatures and enhances biodiversity.

Today’s presentation took place at the Council’s plant nursery at Lepperton. Major winners and their prizes are:

• DJ Mathieson Trading Trust (Okato) – 700 riparian plants, preparation, planting and maintenance valued at $3,500 (sponsored by Fonterra).
• Allan and Jennifer Hughes (Auroa) – goods to the value of $2,500 from RD1 (sponsored by Fonterra).
• BMW Farms – Mark and Anne Bridges, Darrel and Amy Weston, and Graham Mourie (Te Kiri) – riparian plants worth $1,000 and Revital fertiliser worth $2000 (sponsored by Revital Fertilisers).
• Brian and Beverley Broadmore (Warea) – lime and slurry spreading worth $1,000 (sponsored by Spray It).

 

DJ Mathieson Trading Trust has 4km of existing fencing and 3km of proposed fencing remaining. Over the past two years the trust has fenced and planted 1km, using more than 1,900 plants.

The Hughes have completed almost all of the fencing and 42% of the planting along 3km of streambank identified in the riparian plan for their 84.3ha property.

The BMW Farm partners have achieved strong results in a short timeframe by programming their riparian work into farm budgets and engaging a contractor to do the work. All 8km of the farm’s streambank are fenced and they have completed 83% of the planting.

The Broadmores began riparian planting in 2009 and have so far completed a third of the 13.5km of planting required. About 8km of fencing will be completed in the next two to three years.