Riparian audits begin as deadline nears
Taranaki farmers are being urged to make sure their riparian protection is up to scratch or face extra costs as the deadline for fencing and planting waterways approaches.
Taranaki Regional Council staff have begun auditing farmers’ work under the Riparian Management Programme (RMP), which has a 2020 target for completion.
Land management staff will check existing riparian plans over the next two years, ensuring they capture all waterways and wetlands and are fenced and planted to national water quality expectations, including proposed government requirements around riparian management.
Those which don’t meet standards and requirements could incur extra costs from regulatory measures likely to be introduced from 2020.
TRC chairman David MacLeod says the RMP is the largest freshwater management scheme of its kind in the country and entering the audit phase means farmers need to get on with fencing and planting.
‘‘Their work is fundamental in helping support our region’s freshwater health and ecosystems,’’ MacLeod says. ‘‘The council has been helping farmers with riparian work for the past two decades, supporting livelihoods and taking Taranaki forward. Its 2017 Health Waterways report shows water health had the best trends in 21 years of monitoring.’’
For Te Kiri dairy farmers Ian and Judith Armstrong, the audit revealed their riparian work was further from completion than they thought.
The Armstrongs were the first to have their riparian fencing and planting audited in November.
The couple had carried out extensive planting following TRC’s original planting plan on their two farms, which cover 673 hectares near Opunake, but after the audit they found they still had more work to complete.
The Armstrongs suggest other farmers make sure they’re aware of the latest standards and requirements, to avoid extra costs after the 2020 deadline.
‘‘Get an up to date check of what you need to have done,’’ Ian Armstrong says. ‘‘We’ve been fencing and planting along waterways since 1990, but we’ve still got more work to complete by
2020. We’re getting on with it, we can see the end is in sight.’’
Another 4.2 kilometres of fencing - much of it along drains and some planting needs to be done along modified streams adding to the 46km of waterways already fenced and 24km planted. The Armstrongs have ordered another 10,000 plants for this year and pre-ordered 500 for 2019.
‘‘We’ve put our own sweat, tears and work into this, planting about 1500 a year, but we’re paying a contractor to finish the last bit so it complies with standards by
2020,’’ Armstrong says. Taranaki farmers are being advised about the council’s 2020 expectations during annual visits with TRC land management officers. Audits will also be discussed, ensuring that work is being implemented and following recommendations.
TRC land services manager Don Shearman says farmers with work left to do, need to order plants at least a year ahead or risk missing out on plants and subsequently the 2020 deadline.