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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 18, 2021
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Riparian planting project grows Colin Williscroft colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz FARMER-LED freshwater improvement projects, like the one enhancing the Manawatu River near its source, have gained financial support from the latest round of funding from the Manawatu River Leaders Accord.
So far we have planted more than 10,000 plants and done two sessions with Norsewood and Districts School about the awa and local fish life. Arapera Paewai Te Karu Hapu Collective The Manawatu River Road enhancement and access project, jointly run by Norsewood dairy farmers Blair and Penelope Drysdale and Te Karu Hapu Collective, received a grant for the third year running to continue planting and enhancing the river near its source and enable public access for community and school groups. The funding for phase three of the project will go towards more plants and weed control, as well as work on developing a parking area
for buses that bring school and other groups to the location. The project started when the Drysdales moved to the area from Pahiatua in 2018 after buying the property they now farm. After initially concentrating their riparian planting around the farm, they decided to widen their focus to the banks of the river that forms one of the farm boundaries. They were put in touch with Te Kauru Hapu Collective project administrator and coordinator Arapera Paewai and together, with the help of local school children and community volunteers, they have planted thousands of native plants across about eight hectares so far. Penelope says she and Blair were passionate about native plants before they arrived in the area and one of the farm’s goals is to help regenerate a thriving ecosystem, so the project just made sense. Many of the plants have come from Kauri Park nursery in Palmerston North, although the plan is to establish their own small nursery on the farm to grow infill plants. Paewai says it’s a special project that has brought together the whole community. “So far we have planted more than 10,000 plants and done two sessions with Norsewood and Districts School about the awa (river/stream) and local fish life,” Paewai said.
SHELTER: The area also features an information whare, which was installed as part of the Tu Te Manawa project.
TEAMWORK:Penelope and Blair Drysdale, with children Bille, six, and Joe, four, with Arapera Paewai, in some of the earlier native plantings that are part of the Manawatu River Road enhancement and access project.
“The banks of the awa were infested with blackberry, broom and cotoneaster, of which we have cleared 4-5 kilometres. “There is a completely different atmosphere around the awa now with the community, hapu and schools able to park and walk down to explore, do water monitoring and reconnect with their awa.” Nine projects were awarded about $89,000 in grants between them in the latest funding round. The Manawatu River Leaders’ Accord runs a contestable community funding programme once a year with the support of Horizons Regional Council. In 2018 the fund was expanded with help from the Manawatu District Council and the Ministry for the Environment (MfE), through the Freshwater Improvement Fund. Horizons group manager natural resources and partnerships Dr Jon Roygard says the grants aim to assist non-profit organisations such as community groups, schools, catchment care groups and iwi/hapu with projects that will help increase engagement with Manawatu catchment waterways and improve water quality.
Farmers leading the way OTHER farmer-led freshwater improvement projects financially supported by the latest round of Manawatu River Leaders Accord community grants included the following initiatives. Seeing, understanding and believing: KapAg managing director Terry Parminter is facilitating a project within the Nguturoa Stream catchment near Linton, where farm plans are being developed and water sampling is occurring, among other things. The funding will enable community meetings and workshops to share information and lessons learnt from sampling. Source of Kiwitea: Mike and Lindsay Will have retired the head of a sub-catchment in the Kiwitea area and are undertaking planting and pest control work to restore the gully head back into native vegetation. It is the second year this project, which involves the local school and community,
has been awarded funding. Waoku Stream Restoration Project: For riparian fencing and planting work along this waterway in the Koputaroa catchment, with the support of the landowner Daniel Okano. Nguturoa Stream Restoration Project: For riparian enhancement work including fencing, planting and weed control. This aligns with the wider project that is being undertaken in the catchment with the local community. Sites for restoration work will be identified through this larger project work. Bioreactor and wetland development at Te Maunga Farms: To construct a bioreactor and further investigate the wetland design. Te Maunga Farms is part of the Upper Manawatu catchment group and is keen to share its findings with the local community and other farmers. The project is also supported by Massey University.
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