Images supplied by Brendon O’Hagan
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS SHOWCASED AT YOUTH FORUM A Parininihi ki Waitotara (PKW) farm was the showcase for environmental responsibility in the dairy industry at an event designed to encourage young people to ask the hard questions and investigate solutions to negative enviromental impact. The Youth EnviroLeaders Forum is an annual event organised by the Sir Peter Blake Trust which brings together young people aged between 15 and 18 years for a week of adventure-based learning looking at topical environmental issues and developing strategies to address them.
says Shane Miles, PKW General Manager Ahuwhenua. “We were happy to be involved and the day was a real success.” The group of around 55 young people were given a brief tour of the systems and processes in place on the farm, particulary the dairy shed, with an emphasis on where the environmental impact of the 430cow operation was being minimised.
Shane spoke to the delegates, along with other local farmers, on the challenges they faced maintaining a profitable business while caring for the environment. This year the forum was held in Other representatives from Dairy NZ Taranaki and PKW Farm 13 on Skeet and the TRC also spoke about the Road, Manaia, was approached work farming is doing to protect the to host a morning of learning and whenua for future generations. discussion by the Taranaki Regional “It was great to be able to engage Council (TRC). with these young people and tell “The TRC recognised the work our story from a Māori and farming we have been doing with regards perspective and our duty as to environmental protection and kaitiaki,” says Shane. “There was a sustainabiliy and felt Farm 13 would lot of knowledge being shared and be an ideal place to show these the delegates really took it all on young people what was possible,” board.” 22 | HE WHENUA
One participant was 15-year-old Jess Storey (pictured inset above) from the Waikato Dioceasan School for Girls, who says she was made to feel very welcome and learned a great deal from her visit. “All I knew about dairy farming and environment was from what you see in the media so I definitely had my eyes opened to the fact that farmers really do care,” she added. “It was so great of PKW to allow us onto their farm and show us just how future-focused they are and how seriously they take looking after the land, such as how they deal with effluent and limiting how much nitrogen fertiliser they use. “It was such an amazing experience.”
