Environment Canterbury (ECan) will seek Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) funding of $750,000 to extend the Soil Conservation and Revegetation (SCAR) programme until June 2031.
North Canterbury councillor Claire McKay said the SCAR programme had brought long term benefits to the region.
‘‘Through strong partnerships with MPI, landowners and catchment groups, the programme is delivering measurable outcomes for soil conservation, water quality and biodiversity, while also strengthening the resilience of our farming communities.’’
Since then, more than 30,000 trees have been planted and 1100ha of erosion-prone land has been retired across 229 farms in the Kaikōura, Hurunui and Waimakariri districts, with Banks Peninsula recently added.
ECan’s North Canterbury water and land team leader Andrew Arps said the programme’s success has been based on the strong relationships between the council, farmers and wider catchment groups.
‘‘The team resonate and work well with farmers. As a result, farmers have got involved in the programme in large numbers.’’
Mr Arps said farmers saw the value of the programme and have appreciated learning how to use their land more effectively.
This included retiring highly erodible areas from production to allow indigenous biodiversity to thrive, and planting poplar poles to protect pasture producing areas prone to hill-country erosion.
Three-metre-long poplar poles were planted into highly erodible hill country during winter, while they are still dormant.
As they come out of dormancy, they begin to develop roots and leaf out above their protective sleeve, and within four to six years, they provide effective soil erosion protection to safeguard productive land.
The SCAR programme supported the establishment of on-farm satellite poplar pole nurseries and helped to fund sheep and deer fencing to exclude stock.
The fencing enabled the retirement of unproductive, erosion-prone land, which allowed for native reversion and planting.
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
