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Biosecurity Watch Greening Marlborough SOPHIE BADLAND
While this column is usually dedicated to biosecurity matters, this month’s focus is on a local biodiversity initiative. Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of living things present in an ecosystem. A healthy, sustainable ecosystem contains a community of many living things with numerous diverse interactions happening between them, in balance with each other and their environment. Much natural biodiversity is lost when land is cleared for vineyards. To help combat this, 2020 sees the launch of Greening Marlborough, a landscape-level planting programme, encouraging growers to plant more
“Research from Waipara has shown that visitors who walked a vineyard biodiversity trail found it enhanced their experience.”
native trees and plants in and around Marlborough’s vineyards. An initiative of the Marlborough Landscape Group, the Greening Marlborough project is supported by the Marlborough District Council (MDC), New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) and Wine Marlborough. How does it work? The MDC, via the Marlborough Landscape Group, are offering dollarfor-dollar funding for growers to purchase native plants to be planted in and around vineyards, to a maximum of $2,000. Growers take responsibility for watering and maintenance of the plants. You can apply online; there is an easy application form on the NZW website at nzwine.com/greenmb or at Wine Marlborough’s site on wine-marlborough.co.nz/greeningmarlborough/ What are the benefits to growers? When vineyards are planted, some of
Marlborough landscape group member Willie Crosse. Photo Jim Tannock
26 / Winepress April 2020
the land that is cleared doesn’t end up being planted in grapes. Areas such as riparian banks and margins, forgotten corners (unmanaged/unused areas), entrances and along driveways, and around vineyard outbuildings are all good spaces to encourage biodiversity in vineyards, and some species are suitable for undervine planting too. • Increasing biodiversity in vineyards by planting native species can have many benefits: • Native trees help to create corridors for native birdlife to move along and are associated with a range of beneficial insect species which can help to control vineyard pests. • If species that grow naturally on the site are chosen and well looked after initially, they will require only very basic maintenance once established, reducing labour input. • Plantings can create shade along the margins of streams and ponds, helping to slow weed growth and provide habitat for invertebrates.
