Dairy farmers throughout the country have done extensive riparian planting as part of their efforts to protect and enhance waterways, driven by the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord.
To encourage them to continue their planting efforts, DairyNZ environment manager Aslan Wright-Stow said they were looking for a «win-win» solution that provided environmental, economic and social gains.
«We’re looking at different types of vegetation that farmers can use to not only improve water quality but also retain a degree of farm productivity from riparian areas, which will encourage larger setbacks from waterway,» Mr Wright-Stow said.
NIWA aquatic rehabilitation programme leader Dr Fleur Matheson says the project will be a collaborative effort. Research agencies will work with local farmer groups.
The three-year project has been co-funded by the Sustainable Farming Fund.