Editorial

New thinking for the environmental age

THE Climate Change Commission’s draft advice to the Government includes a recommendation that livestock numbers need to fall by 15% for New Zealand to meet its targeted reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Commission boss Dr Rod Carr says he’s hopeful production can be maintained, despite the drop in numbers, through better genetics, feed management and other advancements in farming.

Industry groups are sceptical, however, as their submissions on the draft advice show.

Sheep and beef farmers, for instance, have made laudable productivity gains despite falling sheep numbers over the past few decades. There’s not a lot of fat left in the system to trim.

We’ve decided to take a good, hard look at how NZ farmers can evolve to meet this challenge in a sustainable and profitable way.

Our new series, More From Less, uncovers the farmers, researchers and agribusinesses who are at the forefront of the new thinking we’ll need to prosper in this new environment.

It was said recently that the 1980s was an economic revolution for farmers, and now we’re in the middle of an environmental revolution.

Looking around the world at what’s happening both on-farm and in people’s kitchens, that appears to be true.

Our farmers found a way to lead the pack then and they can do it again now. They’ll have to, if they’re to stay in the conversation about high-quality, sustainable food.

There’s a passage in the Paris Climate Accord that’s often trotted out to defend the status quo. That passage states that food production systems shouldn’t be compromised in the pursuit of climate goals.

To use that as an argument against improving our food production systems is myopic.

Every farmer in NZ is looking at ways to farm better, whether the goal they’re striving for is monetary or environmental.

We adapted to a changing world once, and we must do it again. Our customers are increasingly demanding it.

In More From Less, we hope to uncover a few of the ways that can be achieved.

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS Planting trees with a purpose

LATELY there’s been plenty of talk about planting trees: pine in plantations for timber, natives planted to restore riparian areas and protect steep slopes. The pine trees are genetically improved cultivars, which will be subject to clear felling at the end of the cycle. The natives are generally colonisers, the first stage of a process of evolution into native bush. Often access to these native plantings is limited by fences; an early closing of the canopy protects the land from invasion by exotic plant pests.

I have focused on the planting of woodlots, which are a combination of deciduous and evergreen trees. With the exception of redwood, the evergreens are native species. The aim is to clothe the land, to provide a habitat where birds and insects thrive and an environment for people to enjoy. Before planting I develop a low-impact trail, often circular, but acknowledging the natural contour. This will provide access through the woodlot, initially to facilitate the establishment, and then a pathway for walkers and riders.

The trees are planted in groupings and in the layout, design is an important consideration. I use species which thrive in my area, pin oaks, liquidambar, oak and plane. The natives comprise kauri, totara, kaikatea, puriri and pohutukawa. In particular microclimates there are cameo plantings of nyssa, kowhai and nikau. Riparian plantings include harakeke and ti kouka. My trees are usually planted in marginal land, but in soils improved from farming. The climate is favourable and tree growth relatively rapid. The areas around the trees are mostly in grass and the trails provide access for any weed control. Picnic tables feature in the choice environments.

Where there is raw ground, often the result of erosion, the layout changes. Superior native specimens, usually totara and puriri, are planted in the sweet spots – sites with good topsoil, moisture and shelter. These specimens will provide a future source of seeds to be spread by birds. The areas of raw ground are planted in a combination of manuka and hybrid poplar, trees which will provide a perch for these birds.

The woodlots provide the opportunity for people to observe the marvels of nature, while enjoying the benefits of being outdoors. My combination of trees gives rise to an interesting seasonal change: oaks and kowhai herald the spring, pohutukawas mark Christmas and during the clear days of autumn the deciduous trees are a blaze of colour. Winter displays the beauty of these deciduous trees in their bare form.

I suggest that we should be looking beyond pines and native revegetation and consider the wider landscaping opportunity. We could acknowledge the spectacular English countryside.

Much of this was landscaped hundreds of years ago, but even today is able to embrace the farmland and enhance the urban surrounds.

Ross Robertson

Whitford

Farmers Weekly is published by GlobalHQ, PO Box 529, Feilding 4740. New Zealand Phone: 0800 85 25 80 Website: www.farmersweekly.co.nz EDITOR Bryan Gibson 06 323 1519

bryan.gibson@globalhq.co.nz EDITORIAL Carmelita Mentor-Fredericks 06 323 0769 editorial@globalhq.co.nz Neal Wallace 03 474 9240 neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz Colin Williscroft 027 298 6127 colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz Annette Scott 021 908 400 annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz Hugh Stringleman 09 432 8594 hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz Gerald Piddock 027 486 8346 gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz Richard Rennie 07 552 6176 richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz Nigel Stirling 021 136 5570 nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com PUBLISHER Dean Williamson 027 323 9407 dean.williamson@globalhq.co.nz ADVERTISING Andy Whitson 027 626 2269 New Media & Business Development Lead andy.whitson@globalhq.co.nz Steve McLaren 027 205 1456 Auckland/Northland advertising steve.mclaren@globalhq.co.nz Jody Anderson 027 474 6094 Waikato/Bay of Plenty advertising jody.anderson@globalhq.co.nz Donna Hirst 027 474 6095 Lower North Island/international advertising donna.hirst@globalhq.co.nz Ernest Nieuwoudt 027 474 6091 South Island advertising ernest.nieuwoudt@globalhq.co.nz Clint Dunstan 027 474 6004 Real Estate & Farm Machinery advertising clint.dunstan@globalhq.co.nz ISSN 2463-6002 (Print) ISSN 2463-6010 (Online) Ella Holland 06 323 0761 Livestock advertising 027 602 4925 livestock@globalhq.co.nz Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 Classifi eds/Employment advertising classifi eds@globalhq.co.nz Grant Marshall 027 887 5568 AgriHQ Partnership Manager grant.marshall@globalhq.co.nz Andrea Mansfi eld 027 446 6002 Salesforce director andrea.mansfi eld@globalhq.co.nz Steph Holloway 06 323 0142 AgriHQ Commercial Leader steph.holloway@globalhq.co.nz PRODUCTION Lana Kieselbach 027 739 4295 production@globalhq.co.nz Advertising material adcopy@globalhq.co.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS 0800 85 25 80 subs@globalhq.co.nz Printed by Ovato NZ Ltd Delivered by Reach Media Ltd