$1m so far to future-proof land

Livestock need to be kept away from creeks and streams. Photo / File

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has spent almost $1 million since 2012 funding riparian and biodiversity management projects in the Tauranga Harbour catchments.

But senior land management officer Darryll Hall said its biggest challenge was absentee landowners.

"Many small pastoral block owners in the upper catchment find they need to supplement their income by working off-site. This means they have less time to keep up with their farm work and apply the latest best farm practices, sometimes compromising the economics and environmental integrity of their properties."

However, the Futureproof your Land campaign launched in 2013 was making a difference. Its website which included land toolkits had received 1800 visits and a set of six videos had 1047 views.

The campaign was aimed at helping owners in the Tauranga Harbour catchment to future proof their land to keep it productive and profitable, while ensuring water quality and biodiversity were protected or improved and erosion was controlled, Mr Hall said.

"This work contributes to Bay of Plenty Regional Council's goal of reducing sedimentation and improving water quality in Tauranga Harbour and it's catchment."

An estimated 120,000 tonnes of sediment washes from pastoral land into the southern part of Tauranga Harbour each year, he said.

"Fencing and planting of waterways and erosion prone land can reduce that, making local rivers and streams better for swimming and water supply.

"Less sediment will help keep Tauranga Harbour healthy and accessible too - that's good for other wildlife and the people who rely on the harbour for fun, income and kaimona."

In the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years, council worked with 107 landowners to put riparian or biodiversity management plans in place in the Tauranga Harbour catchment.

That resulted in active biodiversity protection at 30 ecological sites, 102.4km of river and stream margins protected and 885 hectares of erosion prone land converted to more sustainable use.

Up to 25 per cent funding is available for most work under the Riparian Management Programme and there is a "trees at cost" option and 25 to 75 per cent funding is available for most Biodiversity Management Programme work.

Funded work could include fencing of waterways, harbour margins or other natural areas (such as native forest or wetland sites), weed control, native planting, troughs, pest control and afforestation of erosion prone land.