The Hawke's Bay Regional Council is about to begin a region-wide monitoring programme of riparian zones.
Riparian zones are the area between the land and the waterways. When well-maintained they can act as a crucial buffer trapping nutrients, sediments and bacteria before they enter the water.
They also provide an important habitat for aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals and can also provide safe "corridors" allowing movement of species across the landscape.
In the past, the council has conducted desktop analysis of riparian conditions in the region, using aerial imagery to examine the level of stock access to waterways and the extent and condition of riparian vegetation.
However, this method only provides a snapshot in time and interpretation of imagery can be subjective depending on the viewer.