FROM FARMS TO CATCHMENTS:

Restoring the big picture

AORERE

• 706 km2

• Short steep river 72km• 80% native forest, 16% agriculture,

3% scrub, 1% exotic forest• 33 farms: 11,000 - 13,500 cows

The river & surrounds

• $15M shellfish industry• E.Coli contamination• Annual harvest low as 30%• E.coli due to pasture runoff

How to farm without preventing shellfish harvesting?

Issues

• Aorere Catchment Group• Project management, facilitation,

science coordination - NZLT• Partners - Fonterra, Dairy NZ,

AgResearch, TDC

The project

• Modeling nutrient & pathogen impacts from land use

• Results presented to marine farmers, dairy farmers and TDC

• E.coli = key contaminant

Pathways

Plume model

• Farm interviews• “Handling the Wet” field-day• BMPs for E.coli management• Individual farm plans

Actions

Successes• 14 farm plans completed• $1.4M of BMP improvements

identified over next 5 years• Shellfish harvesting 30% to 71%

TUNAWHAKAHEKE / E

• Lake ~6ha, catchment 100ha• Shallow (0.4 - 0.7m), hypertrophic• Conservation & recreational values • Private (33%) & DOC Wildlife

Management Reserve (66%)

The lake & surrounds

• Peat shrinkage

• Loss of open water habitat

• Aquatic weeds & pest fish

• Damage from livestock

• Nutrient enrichment of lake

Issues

• Project coordination - NZLT• Partners – Heritage Valley Farm &

Whakatanga Farm, DOC, WRC (EW)

• Contractors - Alison Dewes (Whole Farm Plans), JP Praat (Catchment Plan)

The project

Plans (1)

Nutrient Budget

Nutrient Mgt Plan

Whole Farm Plan

What’s in a plan?NMP WFPNutrient focus

N, P, sediment & effluent use

No Farm System changes/effects

No Economics

$2000-2500

System, whole farm effects & business profit

N, P , sediment, effluent & receiving environment

Farm System & profit changes

$3500-$4000

Plans (2)

Nutrient Budget

Nutrient Mgt Plan

Whole Farm Plan

Catchment Plan

1. Matching landuse to underlying land capability

2. Understanding property resources

3. Identifying win-win approaches

4. Formalise long term business and land management goals

Catchment Plan

Action plan mapAction plan summaries

Actions map

What are the key ingredients for success?