Tukituki Land Care will visit each of the 17 sub-catchments of the Tukituki River in the first week of December.
Tukituki Land Care will visit each of the 17 sub-catchments of the Tukituki River in the first week of December.
By Holly Ormond, Tukituki Land Care
Farmer-led catchment collective Tukituki Land Care will visit each of the 17 sub-catchments of the Tukituki River in the first week of December, inviting farmers and growers to share their local knowledge and insights.
The organisation is developing independent, science-backed catchment plans for all 17. These farmer-led plans will address key environmental challenges specific to each area while identifying practical, affordable, solutions.
By contributing, local farmers and growers will help the group create a tailored one-page sub-catchment work plan.
These plans will not impose rules or regulations but will give farmers and catchment groups a roadmap for future planning to improve water quality, boost farm productivity, and open the door to future funding opportunities.
“We want to find something that farmers can do that makes a difference, that’s affordable and is worthwhile doing,” says Richard Hilson, chairman of Tukituki Land Care.
“We don’t expect everyone to get involved but the more farmers who do, the greater the impact we’ll achieve and the better off we’ll all be for it.”
Alongside these work plans, the organisation will introduce a ‘farmer toolbox’, designed to help landowners make informed decisions and implement changes, ensuring that time and money are invested wisely.
“We want to find on-farm solutions that farmers will be happy to put in place that will not only improve the environment but will also improve the economic condition of their farm,” says Colin Tyler, the board member overseeing the project.
“We need local farmers’ input to ensure the solutions align with the realities of farming and growing in each sub-catchment.”
Tukituki Land Care is developing independent, science-backed catchment plans for each of the 17 sub-catchments of the Tukituki River.
The group is working with Environment, Innovation and Strategy Ltd, an environmental planning consultancy led by Matt Highway. It is collating data specific to each sub-catchment, including erosion maps, flow path models, land use capability, soil types, and water monitoring information.
This scientific foundation will inform the plans, but it is input from the local farming community with on-the-ground knowledge that will ensure they work in practice.
In the first week of December, Tukituki Land Care is hosting two-hour workshops in each sub-catchment. Farmers and growers will have a chance to review the scientific findings and help refine proposals for their area.
Dates, times, and locations of the workshops, registration details and further information about the project can be found at www.tukitukilandcare.org/the-big-picture.
“We appreciate this is a busy time for many farmers”, says Hilson.
“If you are keen to share your insights we’d love to hear from you. Alternatively, let us do the groundwork and we will share our findings with you in your catchment early next year. Expect good food, a beer, and some valuable conversations.”
