Land practices changing to protect water | Rural

Tauranga Harbour is one of New Zealand's largest natural harbours and home to a climate that provides ideal conditions for agriculture, horticulture and residential living.

But what comes with the territory of having these great natural assets is an impact on one of our most precious resources - water.

Environment Bay of Plenty senior land management officer Daryll Hall says water is essential for all life and because of "large-scale development, urban and rural landscapes have a greater influence on visible or surface water as it flows from the hills to the sea or lakes.

"But landowners are increasingly aware of the impacts that their land management practices are having and how these can affect others in the wider community. As a result, many are changing the way they manage their land to reduce these impacts."

One landowner who has chosen to be proactive about the way he manages his land and its impacts on Tauranga Harbour is Paddy Sheely, who owns a 7.5ha block at Aongatete.

Through a partnership between the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Environment Bay of Plenty) and Te Tawa Company, two protection areas have been created to retire and protect 3ha of Paddy's property.

The Whatakao stream drains this property and enters the harbour via the Aongatete River, about 2.5km downstream.

Paddy says he's aware that the protection of stream margins is important to improve water quality of tributary streams and for minimising nutrient and sediment transport.

Paddy was granted consent to construct a freshwater wetland/pond, with the assistance of Fish & Game, in the area adjacent to the stream. The pond has a weir system installed to control the water level. Several springs and seeps from the base of the old railway embankment to the east had resulted in large areas of this former paddock being waterlogged. "Drainage was previously difficult to achieve and severe pugging was showing but now all seeps and springs feed into the constructed pond, which is about 1.5-2ha in size," says Paddy.

"Along the stream margin, I've planted flaxes and now cleared all the weed trees (willow and privet mostly) and the bulk of the blackberry from the north end of stage one to the end at the bridge by Wrights Rd. This includes all the river margin area."

Paddy admitted it was a big job "but it's now done".

Mr Hall says EBOP's Riparian Management Programme is designed to help private landowners manage their properties sustainably.

"In particular, the programme aims to conserve soil, improve water quality, reduce nutrient loss and protect native plants and animals (biodiversity)," he says.

"There are many reasons why some landowners are yet to act to improve management of riparian margins.

"Retirement fencing and planting are seen by many landowners and advisers as expensive, with no obvious productive benefit. However, in times when there's a generally decreasing financial support from local and central government for riparian retirement and farm profitability is falling, capital improvements of this kind are less likely to occur."

Mr Hall says with this in mind, it is important that riparian management practices are understood and are cost effective. "A better understanding on how farming activities impact on our waterways is the first step towards sustainable farming - without this knowledge landowners are neither motivated nor equipped to apply appropriate management techniques that are necessary to make a difference."

Paddy continues to work with EBOP on challenges and opportunities that he encounters with the property.

He says: "The lake looks great and the feeding springs now work well since the top layer was bulldozed off.

"Plants are showing good growth. I have been working on the best ways to handle weed growth in this wetland and think I now have it sorted."

Mr Hall says: "Bay of Plenty Regional Council land management officers are available to help if you would like advice on riparian management.

"This may involve a discussion on appropriate retirement distances, fence types, planting regimes including forestry options, erosion control or perhaps a stream health assessment.

"They also have information on your soils and how to manage them for maximum production. There are financial incentives in the form of grant rates available to help get you started."

If you would like to partner the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in a riparian management plan for your property then call 0800 368 267 and ask to speak to a land management officer.