Proud of positive change – a farmer’s story
Every generation creates their own impact on the land – and fourth generation Hawke’s Bay farmer Robert Pattullo of Newstead Farm is working hard to create a positive legacy for those who follow him.
In his father’s times it was common practice to drain wetlands and soggy ground by any means possible – even including the use of explosives – to enable more of the land to be utilised for farming. Decades on and with the substantial loss of natural wetlands around the country, Robert knew it was time to restore what nature had intended all along.
‘‘My wife Helen and I have always had a long and prosperous relationship with Andrew Burton, Senior Catchment Advisor at Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), and we have been quite proactive for a while now, knowing that we are part of the Ahuriri Lagoon catchment and very conscious of that,’’ Robert, a Federated Farmers member, says.
‘‘In 2007 we had developed a Farm Environment Plan, so we had a good understanding of our cattle systems and had identified problem areas with regards to sediment and what we needed to do to avoid that running off into the harbour. It has been a process and it really is about not trying to do everything at once. Breaking it down to manageable changes, bit by bit, that really makes an impact long term.’’
Part of the long-term goals was the reconstruction of the 6ha wetland on the 930ha beef finishing farm. Andrew pulled funding from various sources to fund the restoration and planting of the wetland. Robert worked with Andrew and Nathan Burkepile, Hawkes Bay Regional Coordinator for the NZ Landcare Trust who is also the Trust’s resident wetlands expert.
Nathan says the wetland sat in a natural basin and was spring fed. Robert’s father hadn’t been able to fully drain the wetland and the ground was too boggy for efficient grazing. A close inspection of the wetland indicated that it was originally a shallow peat lake very similar to another not too far away.
‘‘Robert also showed us another low area above the drained peat lake that was another drained wetland that he wanted restored. Unlike the peat lake which was spring fed this wetland was fed through surface water. It had been drained by his father excavating a ditch through the bottom end of the wetland,’’ Nathan says.
A wetland restoration plan for both wetlands was developed. This proposed wetland restoration project was in the upper portion of the Ahuriri catchment which is a priority catchment for the regional council to improve water quality. HBRC provided funding for the restoration work as part of its Hot Spot initiative and they also worked with the landowner to get more funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries 1 Billion Trees Program.
The restoration work began in earnest in January of 2020 and in just 15 months, the results have been very positive, says Robert.
What started with excavation
work and finished with native plantings around and throughout the wetland, the influx of water was quick, and the biodiversity results are astounding – including the return of pied stilts, as well as ducks, and a range of other birds and creatures. Robert and Helen are hoping that they will have Australasian Bittern, one of New Zealand’s rarest birds, breeding on the wetland as vegetation establishes.
‘‘The frogs! I have never been a frog person but during Spring, there are so many down there, the noise they make is unreal,’’ Robert says.
‘‘This is always an ongoing project for us as when we tick off the list we have, we find something else we want to work on,’’ he says.
Next up is more riparian planting for the couple who have plans to retire another 7ha this year all in the name of better farm management and doing the right thing.
‘‘There is so much more passion for this kind of farming now, farmers are so much more on board. That is how much the world of farming has changed and as someone within the farming community, it is exciting to see,’’ Robert says.
‘‘I take great pride in the results we have created from the work we have done. There is a fifth generation who will one day take over from me and I have great satisfaction knowing the work I have done and the changes we have made for not only the good of our farm, but also for the catchment, and for the whole of Hawke’s Bay.’’