"It all stemmed from a discussion we had between a group of local farmers at a conference," she said.
The group talked about the idea to set up a catchment group for the mid-region of the Taieri River and a closer look showed there were funding grants available "and so many clever people out there" that wanted to help, she said.
Now into its second year, the Mid Taieri Wai catchment group encompasses 200,000ha of land area in the Lee Stream, Clarks Junction, Strath Taieri and Nenthorn areas.
Farmer and farm consultant Steve Nichol also jumped on board with the group. There as a local farmer in the area and not in a paid capacity, his knowledge and understanding had been invaluable, Mrs Stevenson said.
"A misconception about catchment groups is that it’s all about farmers and their waterways and while there is that side to it, a catchment group is just for anyone that lives around a waterway," Mr Nichol said.
The group’s focus is not just waterways, but also ways to share knowledge and help share the burden of compliance.
"And also, to look after the wellbeing of those in the catchment; finding ways to foster social connections."
Being proactive and learning about environmentally sustainable practices was also important to Mrs Stevenson.
"If we want to leave this to the next generation, we need to do what we can now so there is something there when it’s their turn. If we don’t do this now, it’s not fair on them," she said.
While it is a large area of land the Mid Taieri Wai encompasses, the population that lives there is relatively small and those that are active in the group tend to wear many hats in the community. It’s for that reason the group takes on small bite-size projects that can be easily planned and executed without expecting a large turnout of volunteers.
"Event burnout is something we are really conscious of, so we just chip away at what we know is achievable," Mrs Stevenson said.
The group has hosted a number of workshops and planting days involving local schools.
"Education on how to measure waterway health and learning about the flora and fauna that are present has been really interesting. And reassuring our farm owners that if you have excellent water quality, then that’s great, you don’t need to fix what’s not broken and you can focus your energy in other areas," Mr Nichol said.
The contacts made through the catchment group had been hugely beneficial for both Mrs Stevenson’s and Mr Nichol’s farming businesses. "Surrounding ourselves with people who have great skills and knowledge that we would otherwise be paying for; they are all very much invested in our area and want to see us succeed in our businesses," Mrs Stevenson said.
- Alice Scott
