Farmers & lifestylers

Riparian management, which is the protection and care of banks or margins of waterways, is of vital importance in the Ōhiwa Harbour catchment. Erosion of stream and river banks can cause sediment and nutrients to enter the Harbour, affecting its water quality, shellfish beds and bird habitats.

 

Landowners, particularly farmers, are key to protecting waterways and biodiversity. 

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The sediment issue
One of the biggest issues for the Ōhiwa Harbour is sediment flowing into the harbour from tributary streams and slowly but surely filling it up. The resulting fine mud also impacts on marine life in the harbour. Monitoring during a rain event in January 2021 found that about about 225 tonnes of sediment/hr flowing down the Nukuhou River, the main Ōhiwa  tributary. 

 

Before the arrival of humans, extensive native forest would have protected the land and wetlands in the lower reaches of streams. It would have trapped much of the sediment before it reached the harbour. The clearance of the forests and draining of wetlands for agriculture sped up the erosion of the hills and stream banks. Nutrients and bacteria from livestock farming leaching into streams also need to be reduced.

 

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What farmers are doing about it
Most of the land in the catchment is used for pastoral farming: dairying on the gentler land with sheep and beef on the steeper land. Today, most farmers are well aware of the water quality issues and their role in trying to improve it and thereby the health of the harbour and are working hard to improve the way they farm. 

 

For some years farmers in the catchment have been fencing their streams and planting the banks wherever possible. Trees are being planted on steeper slope to help prevent erosion and some areas are being retired from livestock altogether and planted either in natives or production trees. Remnants of native forests are being fenced to prevent damage by stock and protect their biodiversity values. 

 

Bay of Plenty Regional Council works alongside these landowners and assists them with advice, planning and grant funding. But this is a long term project with much still to be done and it will take time to complete.
 

 

What’s been achieved

• In 2011, the final three kilometres of fencing were added to protect all 56 kilometres of the Ōhiwa Harbour margins from access by stock. 

• By 2018, 84% of all streams were protected from access by stock.

• 34 km of stream fencing was completed in 2020/21 alone and 13,570 plants were planted.

• In 2015 the Nukuhou River won the Morgan Foundation Award for the 'Most Improved River' in the Bay of Plenty in terms of improved nitrogen levels in 2015. Watch these locals explaining their success story