2 minute read
Restoring the magic on marginal land
When Henry Whyte looks back at some of the practices he encountered growing up on a Bay of Plenty sheep and beef farm in the 1980s, he cringes. Things like lighting fires with an old tyre full of diesel, dumping rubbish into a hole in the ground and unapproved disposal of industrial chemicals.
Now he wants to help farmers improve their farm environment by turning marginal agricultural land into sustainable natural assets. To that end, the ecologist and Farmlands shareholder has founded EcoResto, a business that works with landowners and stakeholders to revert any pockets of land that are degraded, unproductive or unprofitable to native ecosystems. “Our mission is to make things better today than they were yesterday and better tomorrow than they are today. It’s that simple,” Henry says. To find out more, we asked Henry some questions about EcoResto and its work.
| EcoResto intern Taj clears a patch of ivy from riparian vegetation.
Where did the idea for EcoResto come from?
When it comes to New Zealand, Fred Dagg said it best: “We don’t know how lucky we are!” My appreciation and respect for the environment stems from growing up on a farm and being an avid outdoorsman. After studying ecology, for me, restoration was the next logical step.
With the push for increased sustainability, it’s like an idea whose time has come?
It’s a no-brainer. If we want the future generations to enjoy the lifestyle we currently have, we must reach our financial, environmental and social/ cultural sustainability goals. There really isn’t any other option. Our model hits all of those key targets.
What are some projects you have been particularly proud of?
In Te Puke we excluded stock from old-growth bush, worked with our local
| Henry Whyte sees a win-win in his work, for farmers and the environment.
iwi to register a pa site with Heritage NZ and, with help from the One Billion Trees Fund, replanted low-productivity erosion-prone slopes, the maintenance of which previously caused all sorts of issues for our friendly horticulture neighbours. It’s a win all round. The views were pretty good too.
What should landowners look for when choosing land for restoration?
Really, it’s the low-yield parts of your farm that cause the headaches. A steep, hard to access, gorse-infested gully with a watercourse at the bottom would be perfect. If you restore those areas then you’ll have more time to focus on your highly productive land for better yield.
Do you have a vision for the difference your work can make?
Our vision is to restore the environment and increase on-farm productivity while tapping into various programmes that reduce the expenses and even generate income for the landowner. We’re ecologists now but we were farmers first so we understand the big picture.
www.ecoresto.co.nz
