Taranaki Regional Council media release
29 May 2009
For immediate release

Streambank Work Brings Bonus

The benefits of streamside planting were brought home to three lucky Taranaki landowners today (29 May).

The three shared $9,000 worth of prizes in a prize draw organised by the Taranaki Regional Council, which is in the midst of distributing 300,000 native plants as part of its large-scale programme to protect and enhance water quality with thousands of kilometres of riparian fencing and vegetation.

Landowners who were early with their plant orders went into the draw for prizes sponsored by Fonterra and Revital Fertilisers. Major winners and their prizes are:

• Pat and Judith Morresey, Mahoe – 700 riparian plants and associated pre-planting preparation, planting and maintenance work, to a total value of $3,500 (sponsored by Fonterra).

• Lex and Maureen Ward, Rahotu – Goods to the value $2,500 from RD1.

• Evan Lobb and Emma O’Sullivan, Tongaporutu -- $1,000 worth of riparian plants and $2,000 worth of fertilizer.

Evan Lobb and Emma O’Sullivan are no strangers to environmental protection, having a QEII covenant on part of their property near the Rapanui petrel colony, and also being involved in the whitebait habitat restoration project on the Hutiwai Stream, which flows through their property. They say their prize “couldn’t have come at a better time”.

The major prize for the Morreseys caps a long-term commitment to environmental work on their 81 ha property, which will have almost complete riparian protection after the 700 plants go in.

The Wards embarked on their riparian project more recently and their prize is an unexpected bonus. Their first call on it will be for a new calf feeder.

Besides the major prizes, the first 80 land owners to order 400 or more riparian plants each received a $50 RD1 voucher.

Nearly 90% of Taranaki dairy farms have had riparian management plans prepared for free by the Council. Plants are supplied at cost and to be eligible for the prize draw, land holders had to order at least 300 by 1 April. The Council encourages early orders to ensure the success of the plant scheme, and wants farmers to plan their plant requirements a year ahead.

The major prizes were presented by the Taranaki Regional Council Chairman, David MacLeod, Fonterra’s General Manager Sustainable Production, John Hutchings, and Revital Fertilisers Manager Kerry O’Neill.

Mr MacLeod says the prize draw is an ideal way to highlight the hard work that’s going into riparian protection across the region.

“We’ve got some big winners on the day but all those who are involved in this programme are also winners,” he says. “The uptake of the Council’s riparian management plans has been outstanding, and the focus is now firmly on getting the plants and fenceposts into the ground.”

Mr Hutchings says preserving water quality is absolutely essential, and a riparian fencing and planting scheme is the pragmatic way to do this.

“This is a great initiative that demonstrates we can make a positive difference for the environment by providing the right resources and support for farmers,” he says.

Today’s prize presentation took place at the Council’s new nursery in Mountain Road, Lepperton. The 4.7 ha block is used mainly to grow poplars and willows to be used in hillcountry erosion stabilization, and is also a depot for distribution of riparian plants.

ENDS

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