Costs and benefits must be shared

Riparian planting makes a valuable contribution to the natural environment, but can't be left to farmers alone, according to a new study. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The cost and benefits of planting trees to help mitigate environmental effects of dairy farming need to be shared by all if it is to succeed according to a new study.

'Evaluation of an agri-environmental programme for developing woody green infrastructure within pastoral dairy landscapes: A New Zealand case study' says government incentive programmes were ineffective in overcoming barriers to planting, such as the higher cost and slow growth of native plants, and the perception of planting being of little direct benefit to farmers' operations.

Lead author Lincoln University landscape ecology senior lecturer Dr Wendy McWilliam said the government and the dairy industry needed to work closely together to develop and maintain a landscape-scaled woody vegetation network on both private and public land.

Such networks would build sustainability and resilience into dairy farming, and lead to a more equitable sharing of the benefits and costs of their primarily public ecosystem services.

The study showed few farmers took advantage of government incentive programmes, largely because they did not cover enough of the costs.

Many farmers were increasing woody vegetation, particularly around waterways and wetlands, to provide public ecosystem services, such as water cleansing and nature conservation, but many were also removing or replanting their shelterbelts and hedges.

In addition, a significant number of farmers were not planting due to a perceived lack of sufficient private ecosystem services, the benefits woody vegetation provided to farmers and their farm operations.

The study declared that a targeted environmental stewardship scheme, including more government funding, was needed to overcome the "considerable barriers to the voluntary retention and restoration of woody vegetation".

It also found that plantings were small, limited to unproductive areas, and many continued to be dominated by exotics and monocultures, even though natives, broadleaf and mixed species plantings were preferred.

Enhancing the look of the farm, speed and ease of growth, maintenance and low costs were significant factors in plant selection.

Key barriers included insufficient private ecosystem services of woody vegetation, particularly those related to dairy production, relative to other land uses; poor aesthetic services of some plantings; low rates of growth and higher maintenance and purchasing costs of native plants.

Dr McWilliam said farmers may also be motivated by stronger evidence in support of valued ecosystem services, their benefits and drawbacks, and information on how to support ecosystem services through planting design and management through time.