4 minute read
Pulpit
Time to reflect on how we live
Ross Robertson
THE marketing slogan 100% Pure New Zealand has always irked me. I suggest that it is an inappropriate use of the adjective and that we could come up with something more meaningful to present an image of our country. My best shot at this point is NZ – Closer to Nature, and I will outline my support of this proposition.
Our known history traces back to the Polynesian navigators, who were very much aligned with the natural world, and then the Māori communities, with very strong relationships with both land, sea and sky. Upon colonisation, land was cleared for farming, sheep stations in the South Island and dairy in the North. Native timber was harvested, plantation forestry was an early land-use and we have always fished in the oceans that surround NZ. Our economy has long been based on the production of food and natural materials.
Where we live is significant; usually our cities are on the coast and towns often on rivers. We have a network of roads providing access to mountains, native forest, rivers and lakes, and fresh air and water is abundant. Our climate is temperate and our agricultural industry has benefited from good rainfall and sun. Our population is relatively small, we are surrounded by oceans but distant from our export markets.
We need to reflect on how we live. Our young people have ready-access to outdoor sports and activities. Our favoured national sports are outdoors. We make good use of beautiful beaches in the summer, tramp in regional and national parks with native bush, and hunt in alpine landscapes. We are innovative farmers, our pastures are very productive and our animals live outside. We have a growing awareness of the importance of nature, which has given rise to more protection and regeneration of the natural environments.
Consider what we produce. While the natural fertility of our soils is limited, they have been improved by the correction of deficiencies and the build up of soil carbon, often on difficult terrain. Farmers have worked with nature, in particular the use of legumes, to fix nitrogen and the grazing of animals on the land. This contrasts with large areas of the US, where soils have been depleted to give a dependence on synthetic fertilisers. We have achieved significant genetic improvement in our production animals and have refined our farming practices to the extent that we are world leaders in many aspects. Primary production represents the bulk of our exports, a major component of GDP, and we are highly regarded internationally for our dairy, meat, wool, kiwifruit, apples, wine and seafood.
NZ has many visitors from offshore, attracted by the opportunity for activities outdoors, on the coast, in the mountains and on the lakes. These visitors talk about our spectacular natural scenery, which they observe during the day and the clear skies seen at night. Our tourist attractions include national parks and facilities for boating, skiing, hunting and fishing. NZ offers a wide range of natural environments within a relatively small geographic area.
Looking to the future, our young people now receive more education about nature and conservation is becoming a priority. We are looking to reduce carbon emissions with transport alternatives limiting the need for petrochemicals. We are working toward more renewable energy with wind and solar to complement our valuable hydroelectricity. Genetic improvement of livestock will focus on methane emissions, we look to control animal and plant pests without the use of chemicals and to limit our use of synthetic fertilisers. The project to improve and protect our waterways is progressing well.
We have a history of being close to nature and our economy is dependent on the nurturing of our natural resources. We see our future building upon our understanding of the risks and opportunities associated with nature; our alternative name Aotearoa clearly hints at a relationship with the natural world.
ThePulpit
RETHINK: Ross Robertson shares his views on why 100% Pure New Zealand slogan is not the best representation of the way NZ lives and farms.
Who am I?
Ross Robertson has a background in tourism-related industries and farming. He is retired with an interest in design and development of rural landscapes.
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