Living Water aims to restore two oxbow 'lakes' on the Hikurangi floodplain. Photo / Lance Lawson Photography
A year on from the launch of an ambitious plan to help rebuild the health of New Zealand's waterways, Fonterra is showing progress with more sustainable dairy advisers on the ground and action taking place in Northland and across the country.
In November last year Fonterra announced six commitments to help protect and restore water quality in New Zealand. The commitments were to:
* Farm within regional environmental limits
* Encourage strong environmental farming practices
* Reduce water use and improve wastewater quality at manufacturing plants
* Build partnerships to improve waterway health
* Invest in science and innovation to find new solutions
* Make the products people value most.
"Fresh water is such an important topic for New Zealanders so we want to keep people regularly updated on our commitments and be open about our progress," says Fonterra sustainability director Carolyn Mortland.
Milestones reached in the past 12 months include Fonterra farmers nearly excluding all dairy cattle from waterways on their farms — 99.6 per cent of permanent waterways are now fenced and 99.9 per cent of regular waterway crossings now have bridges or culverts.
Fonterra also now employs 24 sustainable dairy advisers (SDAs) across the country and is due to have 28 by the end of 2018, on the way to a target of 30 (double last year).
And Fonterra's TIAKI programme, which involves SDAs providing advice, tools and services to farmers, has helped see more than 1000 farm environment plans completed.
The plans are tailored to improve environmental outcomes, using digital mapping tools and good management practices. Fonterra also recently appointed a Sustainability Advisory Panel with six independent experts to help guide its sustainability strategy.
Significant progress has been made at the halfway point of Fonterra's 10-year Living Water partnership with the Department of Conservation, which is focused on five freshwater catchments — including the Wairua River flowing from the Hikurangi Swamp — to identify game-changing solutions that demonstrate dairying and freshwater can thrive together.
The Wairua catchment is at the top of the Kaipara Harbour and covers 75,000ha. Within this area are four main types of farming — dairying, horticulture, arable and forestry. Fonterra dairy farms make up 36 per cent of the catchment.
Working with community stakeholders, another 50 catchments around New Zealand have been selected for the Living Water programme — including an additional three in Northland at Awapoko, Ruakākā and Maungaturoto.
Living Water is working on a number of projects in partnership with groups including the Northland Regional Council, Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngā Wai Māori, Whangarei District Council, Landcare Research, Integrated Kaipara Harbour Management Group, Reconnecting Northland, Fish & Game, The Whitebait Connection, Northland Dairy Development Trust and Opus.
"Our focus continues to be working collaboratively with others who care about New Zealand's waterways, because the task of reversing the decline in water quality over many years is complex and will only be achieved if everybody does their bit," Mortland says.
"It's a long-term approach, and many of the results will only show over the long-term, but it's crucial we keep up the hard work now to accelerate the national movement to rebuild the health of the country's waterways."
A full picture of Fonterra's commitments, progress and performance across environmental, social and economic topics will be provided in its second annual Sustainability Report, due to be published on Fonterra.com next week.