Farmers' environmental credentials have been under attack from some quarters of late, but new research highlights just one way those who work the land also strive to look after it.
Federated Farmers welcomes a study by the University of Waikato Institute for Business Research that highlights the impact and costs of land placed under covenant via the QE II National Trust.
"Farmers have been front and centre in the activities of the QEII National Trust right from the start. We congratulate them on their 40th anniversary and for commissioning this study," says Federated Farmers environment and water spokesman Chris Allen.
When Gordon and Celia Stephenson put a four hectare stand of native bush on their farm near Putaruru under QEII covenant for permanent protection, they were the first to do so.
They were not to know that over the next 40 years, more than 4300 property owners would follow suit.