PETE Morgan and Ann Boua are maximising native plantings to reduce run-off from sensitive areas. Photo Paul Charman
FARMERS Pete Morgan and Ann Boua have already planted tens of thousands of native plants on their property.
The Pokuru couple look forward to this year planting a further 1000 native seedlings from the Upper Waipā River Catchment Restoration Project.
For them, a benefit has been seeing the return of native birds and fish to their property.
“It is the direction our dairy company wanted us to go in and it’s also in line with [the expectations of] our international markets,” Pete said of their decision to plant natives.
“And once you understand the background of science which reveals what happens to the nutrients that get into waterways, you know it has to be done.”
Pete points to a near sheer face in one paddock, where he has previously lost motorbikes and cattle.
“Look at that face there – we lost a cow rolling down the bank there last spring and the staff still mourn losing her. Planting out places like that is really a no-brainer.”
Pete reflected that there is also a compelling logic in using locally sourced native plants, which are well adapted to the local environment.
“Even so, dropping land out of your farm which you have paid for and worked for is still not easy – a part of me can struggle with that. But as soon as you drop it out you get over it very quickly, particularly in areas like this [where the cow was lost], you don’t miss it.”
Pete was advised years earlier that the first area to drop out for native planting should be somewhere simple, that he would see every day.
“Then you just get this reminder of how good this looks, then you begin to realise that so many other parts of your farm are actually useless, or very sensitive, and you start normalising that behaviour.”
“Now we’ll have a total of 5000 to 6000 plants going in this year. The biggest year we did before was 8000, which we planted ourselves.
“And it just becomes perfectly normal – we couldn’t imagine a year when we didn’t do something like this.”
Matt said he and his staff planted along any areas that carried water.
“These ditches might be dry for half the year but the other half they can still carry water. And we’re planting out any steep areas that are easily eroded. They are difficult to stock and don’t grow a lot of grass anyway.
“Then there are critical source areas, such as at the head of gullies where a whole lot of area drains into them. They are some of the most sensitive areas, so we take those because they have a huge effect on the waterway.
“Then we plant out any wet areas that are just too swampy.”
In one of these, Pete’s crew has created ponds for the rare and endangered native mud fish, a creature that can survive up to seven months by burrowing into creek banks during summer.
“Our idea is that the farm will become self-sustaining in years to come,” he said.
“And that there will be an abundance of wildlife. We want seed drops as native birds arrive on a flight path from our beautiful maunga, Kakepuku.”
“We want a situation where our overall impacts, comprising greenhouse gases, water, silt and nutrients are completely enclosed and dealt with [on the property].”
Pete adds that with the advent of technology such as cow collars, he and Ann are able to think of their land in a broader and more holistic way.
“One of many advantages with the collars is that we can manage the land in sensitive areas exactly how we need to.”
For example, Pete said there were normal rules about how far
back fences should be from waterways.
“But in an area like that far bank, which is quite steep, when there is torrential rain, we can direct the cows a further 100 metres back from the steep areas.
“That’s so they don’t pug up the ground that’s steep and sensitive, and from which all the nutrients would end up in the waterways.”
