Water forum worthwhile

H

OW heartening that a forum on water attracted a full house to the Geraldine Cinema on Sunday.

Heartening because it shows people do care, and heartening because of the wide range of interests present. Heartening, especially, because of the young voices wishing to be heard.

The forum also seems to have been constructive, so well done to the organisers.

Certainly there is work to do. It is a long time since we have been able to honestly claim our clean green mantra.

A dairy farmer at the forum hoped the issue would not become one of ‘‘you guys against us’’, although some would argue it already is.

It takes but one sighting of cows in waterways, a story on high nitrate levels or pollution warning signs going up at swimming spots for people to negatively think ‘‘dairy farmers’’.

And that is natural, given such issues have coincided with the sharp rise in dairying throughout Canterbury.

And still more farms are being converted, so it is a natural assumption that rivers will be put under more stress. And whether farmers like it or not, that does become a ‘‘you guys against us’’ situation.

That’s not to say farmers don’t care. Most do, yet they also run businesses that use a lot of water and that generate nitrate runoff.

Increasingly they seem prepared to address it. Farmers were well represented at the forum. Through the district they and Fonterra have agreed to fence off waterways, there are examples of previously degraded waterways undergoing revival, there is recognition of the nitrate problem if not an answer to it yet, and Environment Canterbury is working on a water strategy that attempts to strike a balance between the environment and economic development.

Often those advocating for the environment do so on the basis of passing on something worthwhile to future generations, yet two children made their voices heard at the forum.

Eleven-year-old Jamie Roberts and 10-year-old Tara Wynn showed genuine interest in maintaining healthy waterways, and forum members gave them due regard.

There is a feeling we are at a crossroads here, that this is the time to strike the right balance. Forums like the one at Geraldine on Sunday can only help the process.