Environmental plan to record orchard work
Orchardmanagement practices that enhance the natural environment can bring economic benefit, ensure growers meetnew legal requirements and the demandsof international consumers, say Phillipa Wright and Stephen Kenna ofKW Kiwi Orchard, north of Katikati.
“It’s vital that consumers have confidence inhowwe grow our fruit.
“Our underlying philosophy iswewant to be good custodians of the land, the environment and implement sustainablemanagement practices.”
The couple has been doing just that since the 1980s and now, as part of the work of the Project Parore catchment group to improve water quality in the northern Tauranga Harbour region, are preparing a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) for their Ongare Point kiwifruit orchards.
While the plan will formally record the years of work that has gone into enhancing the Ongare Point orchard’s environment, having an FEP is also in line with the Government’s Essential Freshwater Strategy and Zespri’snewstandards.
The orchard near Katikati is challengingwhenitcomes to managing water run-off and nutrient leaching. The 10 hectares includes flat land close to the road, very steep south-facing blocks leading to a stream in the middle and steep north-facing blocks on the other side.
“This is one of the steepest kiwifruit orchards around whichmeanswehave to think abouthowwemanageit properly,” says Phillipa.
Stephen’s family bought the bare land in 1980 and over time have developed it into an orchard. Stephen and Phillipa took over in 1989.
After growing a variety of fruits including Hayward, Hort16A andTomuakiwifruit, persimmons, nashi and tamarillos, today it produces SunGold kiwifruit.
Oneof theirmanagement decisions was to allow the grass sward under the vines to grow long, and as a result, they haven’t applied fungicides or weedsprays for 25 years.
“The effect of long grass is to reduce fungal loading, sclerotinia in particular,” says Stephen. “If ‘weed’ plants are not causing an economic problem in the canopy or health and safety issues for people, you are better off to leave the sward to grow.
“A bareweedsprayed strip has reduced soil biology but is also affectingsome of the most important soils in the orchard, as it is directly under the feeder root zone for the vines.
“If it is not compacted by tractors, mowersand sprayer, that area has the highest water infiltration effect.”
Phillipa is of the belief that having good soil biology and micro-organisms has the potential to improve the taste and flavour of their fruit.
“That makes sense if you look at the grape analogy where different soils produce different flavours.”
More than that, the longer sward (which does get cut occasionally) slows runoff of both water and nutrients.
Around 25 years ago Stephen and Phillipa began planting amix of native plants along the banks of the “drain” which runs through their property to the Tauranga Harbour.
“It arises as a spring near the start of Ongare PointRdand werefer to it as the Ongare Point waterway,” says Phillipa.
The canopy of trees on both sides of the waterway has increased birdlife, served to protect the stream banks, reduce water and nutrient runoff, and also lower the water temperature, enhancing life in the stream.
“Wehave measured the temperature coming in and going out and there’s a onedegree drop. Cooler water has moreoxygen than warmer, benefiting stream life including native ko¯ura [freshwater crayfish],” says Stephen.
The plants also help mitigate runoff and protect the soil.
“Plants, especially those with large root systems will sequester carbon, improve the soil structure and hold back runoff of sediment and fertiliser. It is amore natural recycling process.”
Tofurther reduce run-off and leaching, grassed areas 10mwide flank both sides of the stream.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has donated plants, and neighbours in the catchment havenowbegun planting the stream banks too.
Whenit comes to preparing an FEP, Phillipa advises starting with amap of the orchard or farm and identifying critical source areas for water, sediment and nutrient runoff.
“Even if there is no permanent waterway on the property, with the usual high rainfall inthe Bay of Plenty, there will always be leaching and runoff.”
The Project Parore has government funding to support water quality improvements within the Northern Tauranga Harbour catchment. If growers in the catchment would like to get involved contact Christina Robinson at christina. robinson@zespri.com or BradenRowsonat braden. rowson@boprc.govt.nz.