KMR Growing The Next Generation Of Freshwater Farm Planners

Kaipara Moana Remediation is doubling down on its investment in rural professionals as it encourages farmers to prepare their land for planting natives around waterways and on erodible hillsides this winter.

With over two million natives planted throughout the Kaipara Moana catchment in just three years, KMR Pou Tātaki Justine Daw says 2025 will be another busy year for her team.

Her message follows a recent workshop at Rural Design, one of KMR’s accredited nurseries.

As part of KMR’s investment in on-farm advisors, the cohort of KMR Field Advisors came together to upskill in the technical aspects of preparing for - and maintaining - planting projects around freshwater and on steep, erodible hillsides.

“KMR specialists and expert accredited suppliers ensured the training day was highly successful. The training covered both technical skills and hands-on learning through field visits to plantings of different ages and plant survival challenges,” says Justine.

“This type of training is central to KMR's commitment to upskilling a cohort of 50 freshwater farm planners across the catchment. These skills are critical for good environmental outcomes and support forthcoming government policy.

“In addition, if you are dairy farming, through our support for on-farm planting, KMR can help you make the most of the opportunities from the recently announced Fonterra Cooperative Difference emissions incentives from 1 June. Our Field Advisors provide technical advice and grants to support farmers to maximise the opportunities from on-farm carbon sequestration.”

To find out more, Justine suggests getting in touch with your Sustainable Dairying Advisor (SDA) or completing an application on KMR’s website.

During the KMR workshop, Rural Design Director Heath Worsfold reflected on the importance of seasonal timing being critical to the preparation of planting sites.

“At this time of year, we are at the optimal time to conduct site preparation for winter planting,” says Heath.

“However, you do not want to prepare sites too far in advance of your planned planting as that can create further weed invasion and then you have a battle on your hands from the outset. Likewise, you need to leave enough time for site preparation applications to take effect before you plant - leaving site preparation until too late in season and into winter can impact on weed kill rates and success, affect plant survival and make planting difficult and more labour intensive for the planting teams.

“Once planting has been done, the ongoing maintenance effort over years one to five is dependant on level of weed invasion and rainfall, so encouraging landowners to self monitor and consistently manage the release of weed and grass regrowth around stems is important to ensure plants survive. KMR advisors can help you understand what is needed, and when.”

“Working with a community of practice is increasingly important, which is why we are always keen to collaborate, share our learnings and learn from others in KMR. Between us all, there is so much knowledge and experience to draw on without reinventing things unnecessarily, as one size does not fit all when you are dealing with differrent landscapes and soil types,” says Heath.

“Through KMR’s support for training, mentoring and technical career development, KMR is supporting our Field Advisors to gain the necessary expertise to effectively co-design and support projects led by farmers, other landowners, catchment groups, and other groups in the community,” adds Justine.

She says KMR can also provide support to plant up waterways, protect wetlands and retire, plant or regenerate into natives on steep, eroding hillsides. The KMR team invite you to get in touch early if you are interested in planting this winter - email hono@kmr.org.nz or complete an online application form.

As a reminder, KMR can pay up to 50% of the costs of:

• Fencing to protect waterways
• Native planting near rivers and streams, wetlands and the coastal margin
• Projects that treat erodible hill country:
  • Continuous canopy and permanent forest cover using native species or non-weedy, non-pine exotic species (e.g. eucalypts or redwoods)
  • Fencing and management to support regeneration of native forest
  • Space planting of poplars while maintaining some grazing.

Notes:

Across more than 600,000 hectares in both Northland and Auckland, KMR invests in projects to restore wetlands, fence off rivers and streams, plant trees and regenerate forest on erosion-prone land. KMR’s aim is to protect and restore the mauri of the Kaipara Moana by halving the sediment (silts) washing off the land into the waterways, and ultimately, down into the harbour itself. KMR projects also support thriving biodiversity, reduced input costs on farm, and resilience to extreme weather.

KMR numbers to 31 March, 2025

As at 31 March 2025, 3¼ years into delivery, KMR has delivered the following results on the ground:

Nature & Resilience

• 2.08 million plants in the ground or contracted to plant this winter
• 959 hectares planted or contracted, or regenerating into native forest
• 924 km of fencing completed or contracted – the same distance as from Cape Rēinga to Palmerston North!
• Over 130,000 hectares managed under KMR plans

Jobs & Skills

• 370,000 hours of new work – a year’s work for over 237 people
• Over $22 million invested in restoration projects
• 47 local businesses and nurseries accredited to supply KMR
• 184 people trained and mentored, many from local iwi/hapū, to advise on project design and delivery

Participation

• 1,208 landowners/groups have expressed interest in KMR
• 781 plans completed with landowners/groups
• 118 further plans in development
• 92 projects led by hapū, marae, community groups, catchment groups and other collectives

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