South Waikato group gets funding boost to improve biodiversity at local stream

Gray Baldwin (front) and Andrew Lennox (back) at a Pokaiwhenua Catchment planting effort. Photo / Supplied

The Government is investing in the South Waikato farmer-led Pokaiwhenua Catchment Group to assist its work to restore the Pokaiwhenua Stream.

The funding of $410,000 over three years will enable the catchment group to work with a larger number of landowners to develop ways to boost water quality and biodiversity in the catchment.

The Pokaiwhenua catchment has 240 landowners and covers approximately 43,000 hectares from near Tokoroa to Lake Karapiro.

Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri said the Pokaiwhenua is a tributary of the Waikato River and has "been identified as a high-priority catchment where improvements in water quality are needed".

"The Pokaiwhenua Catchment Group will carry out water quality monitoring, coordinate education on freshwater, greenhouse gas emissions and protecting significant natural areas, and support farmers to develop Farm Environment Plans," she said.

The funding comes on top of at least $3.6 million already allocated by the Ministry for Primary Industries to support catchment groups across the Waikato region and farmers' hard work in leading New Zealand's recovery from Covid-19, Whaitiri said.

"This aligns with a key component of the Government's Fit for a Better World roadmap is to restore freshwater environments to a healthy state within a generation and grow food and fibre sector exports by an extra $44 billion over 10 years."

She said catchment groups, in general, would provide a valuable platform to promote good on-farm practices and sustainable land management, showcase innovation and success, and positively shift the dial for the environment.

"The improvements being made by farmers in catchment groups will keep us ahead of competitors, especially as opportunities like the Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom open up for us.

"Nationally, these groups provide on-the-ground support to more than 5000 farmers, helping them access expertise and tools to improve their environmental and economic sustainability, not to mention wellbeing."

The Government's investment supports more than 170 farmer-led catchment groups nationwide and is one part of the Government's work to continue to tackle climate change and support the industry's recovery from Covid-19.