Farmers unsure about the next step for dealing with damaged land can find advice and technical papers on the Hawke's Bay Regional Council website. The council has been provided with technical papers and a decision-tree chart to assist farmers with slip and erosion recovery advice.
The papers were used by Horizons Regional Council in 2004 to help farmers respond to damage from a similarly intense storm. Slips have caused extensive damage to property, land and roads from Cape Kidnappers south and at the northern end of the region in the Whakaki and Nuhaka catchments.
Senior land management advisor Peter Manson said over sowing and top dressing with careful management could help to improve the recovery of slip scars.
"Evidence from the Wairarapa shows pasture production can be 2.5 times greater after 5 years than on untreated slips," he said. "While many farmers feel the need to re-grass slips as soon as possible, better value may be gained by repairing fences if funds are limited."
Regional Council land management advisers were also predicting high demand this winter for erosion control poplar and willow poles so early ordering was recommended.
More information is available at www.hbrc.govt.nz.
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