Hunter’s Stream biodiversity corridor takes shape on Canterbury farm

A new project aims to create biodiversity corridors along Hunter’s Stream, boosting ecosystems and uniting farmers, students and the community.

It’s part of a wider biodiversity project focused on improving sites of ecological interest across Waimakariri Irrigation Ltd’s (WIL) 44,000-hectare irrigation scheme command area.

Over 500 native plants, donated and planted by Cust School last month, have been put in the ground at the 1000sq m stream-side site, which forms part of Steven Tallott’s 250ha family farm.

The initial plan for the site was created in 2022, after Waimakariri Irrigation Limited’s biodiversity project lead Dan Cameron approached Tallott to discuss the idea.

Tallott said he was excited to see the project get off the ground.

“The fence was initially up against the stream, so we moved it back seven metres to create a buffer zone for riparian planting,” he said.

“We are putting the plants back in that were removed when the land was developed.

“It was great getting Cust School involved and, in the future, we would like to extend the planting site further upstream.”

Tallot said his advice to other farmers considering getting involved in a restoration project was to start small and always think things through.

“Choose a manageable area and make sure you have a plan so that the right plants go in the right places.

“It’s not just the planting but also the maintenance that you need to do afterwards, so you need to keep that in mind.”

Cameron said the native plants had been chosen for specific characteristics and their suitability for riparian planting.

“We have Edgar’s rush [wīwī] and our wonder plant, carex secta [purei], along the stream’s edge.

“These are easy to grow and propagate and provide useful ecosystem services.

“Further back, there are harakeke [flax] and toe toe.”

Taller-growing trees such as tī kōuka/cabbage trees and ribbonwoods have also been included along the fence edge of the site to provide some shade on the stream, which will help reduce weed growth and stabilise the temperature of the stream.

This will reduce stress on invertebrate populations living in the stream.

Cameron said mayflies, eels (tuna) and freshwater mussels (kākahi) had been found at the Hunter’s Stream site, which indicated reasonably good water quality.

Waimakariri biodiversity project lead Dan Cameron, Waimakariri Irrigation Limited chief executive Brent Walton and Cust farmer Steven Tallott at the project’s first biodiversity project site on the Hunter’s Stream near Cust in North Canterbury.

“It is exciting to find these species within a stream where we don’t have a lot of prior knowledge,” he said.

“Mayflies are tolerant of only a very small spectrum of high-quality water, and having kākahi here is positive because they are a taonga species and are instrumental in removing algae from the water column.”

Waimakariri Irrigation’s chief executive, Brent Walton, said it was important for the irrigation scheme and shareholders to enhance and protect the environment around their farms.

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“We use water as a resource for farming, and it is important that we do our bit to try and improve the streams and waterways that run through our shareholders’ farms.

“It is the right thing to do, and our farmers want to work together with the next generation to improve our land and water.

“We might not see these trees and plants grow to maturity in our lifetime, but the next generation will.

“It is our hope that we will see Hunter’s Stream and all the other streams throughout WIL’s irrigation scheme planted out so we can say that we did our best within our backyard.”