All farming sectors working together
for the environment if he keeps it out of waterways,’’ says Campbell.
‘‘The more that we can identify those activities that offer a win-win and do them, the more people will buy in and support this project.’’
Edwin Mabongo from the Mid Aparima Catchment Group hopes the project will be embraced by all farmers in the catchment.
‘‘Farmers are quite passionate about what they’re doing and ACE has captured that passion to drive farm profitability but also to look after the environment,’’ he says.
That means farmers may have to consider changing the way they’ve done things in the past, for example grazing downhill instead of the traditional uphill way.
‘‘Farmers want to do the right thing but it’s understanding what ‘right’ looks like. I think there’s been a shift in understanding that what you thought was right might not be so right.’’
For some farmers on some terrains, grazing from the top down might not be practical but Mabongo says the key is actually thinking about the options.
‘‘It may be just finding smart ways of doing it, like leaving a wide buffer instead of starting right at the bottom - you can start halfway up the hill.’’
Mathieson says as well as looking after the environment, the project has wider implications including how Southland farm produce is regarded in international markets.
‘‘Consumers are paying more attention to how things are produced and the space we’ve been in around food production will be quite a bit different in future. What I see is this is actually part of that transition, so yes, we have to move in that environmental space but it’s actually driven by more than just environmental outcomes.’’
Campbell says the project embraces three important community factors.
‘‘To maintain viability of farming, to foster vibrancy in the community and the to protect the health of the ecology. None of those three can stand alone. It’s like a tripod - the whole three have got to be strong in order to support a sustainable future for this catchment.’’
He says one of ACE’s strengths is that it includes the entire Aparima catchment rather than just smaller parts of it.
‘‘Nobody else can foul up what these people achieve,’’ he says. ‘‘If it were just a lower catchment initiative, it wouldn’t matter how good a job you did if somebody upstream could foul it up for you.’’
Another strength is that ACE includes all farming sectors, not just, say, dairying or sheep and beef farming. Working together, says Mathieson, is key.
‘‘That’s when the discussion around sediment and phosphorus becomes really important because then the whole community has to take ownership it’s not just dairy, it’s the whole community.’’