But riparian planting has more onfarm benefits than just improving water quality.
It helps to stabilise banks, stopping valuable land from gradually being eaten away. With less soil in your drains, it also means you will need to clear them less frequently. Having riparian planting will provide more shade and reduce heat stress in the summer months. It will also provide shelter from winter winds which improves grass growth.
We’ve talked to a lot of farmers who have planted their waterways and seen first-hand the increase in native birds on their farm. Michael and Karen Blomfield, who farm in Southland, say the bird life is now fantastic, with kereru, tui, and bellbirds living around the plants on their farm. Their plants are also improving fish life. They provide shade for waterways which lowers the water temperature, and creates habitats for fish and insects in their overhanging leaves and branches.
If you’re going to invest time and money in riparian planting, you want to get it right first time. DairyNZ has developed a new quick-guide called Getting Riparian Planting Right – specific for each region, which will help you choose the right plants and plant in the right places, at the right time. It’s now available for the Waikato, Horizons, and Southland regions and guides for the next six regions will be available by January next year.
You can easily get on track to successful planting with the “fast five plants” for your region. These top five plants are hardy, fast-growing, can be planted straight into pasture, don’t require shelter, and offer a wide range of benefits.
To help you choose the right plants for the conditions on your farm, the table of riparian plants features the best plants for your region. Each plant listing includes the conditions it tolerates so you can choose suitable plants for dry or boggy soil, or areas that are prone to wind, sun, salt, and frost. The benefits of each plant are also listed so you can get the most out of your riparian planting, whether you want to stabilise banks, filter run-off, or create shade.
A regional two-year calendar plan is included, showing the best time for ordering plants, preparation, planting, and maintenance.
Maintenance options are included to help you keep on top of weeds and allow your healthy riparian zone to become established. Maintenance is crucial, particularly in the first couple of years after planting. It needs to occur in what is often the busiest time in the farming year so plan to make time or consider hiring contractors.
Some farmers have done great work with riparian planting already, so some local farmers have provided advice and tips to help you get started.
Horizons farmers Alison and Brian Baxter have planted to maintain the water quality in their spring-fed creek. Getting good advice from Horizons Regional Council about what species to plant and where to put them ensured that their planting was successful.
Southland farmers Karen and Michael Blomfield know that their plants thrive after follow up maintenance. They stomp down thistles and grasses to release the plants. They find that the plants that have weeds removed grow twice as big as the ones that don’t.
Riparian management timing
Timings for riparian management tasks differ throughout the country depending on geography and climate. Winter is the best time to plant your riparian zones but make sure you wait until after frosts to plant.
|
Region |
Action |
|
Upper North Island |
Planting |
|
Lower North Island |
Pre-spraying and waiting until after any frosts before planting in September |
|
Upper South Island |
Pre-spraying and waiting until after any frosts before planting in September |
|
Lower South Island |
Ordering plants now to plant in October |
If you need more information about what you should be doing check your Getting riparian margins right guide, or consult your regional council or the DairyNZ land management team on 0800 4 DairyNZ (0800 4 324 7969).
If you have missed the boat this year, it’s OK, plan to plan. Draw a big red circle in your calendar early next year when you can set aside time to read the Getting riparian margins right guide, plan your planting and begin ordering plants.
All in accord
Good riparian planting will maintain and improve water quality and meet requirements of the 2013 Sustainable Dairying Water Accord.
The accord requires half of dairy farms with waterways have a riparian management plan by May 31, 2016, and all by May 31, 2020.
Of these farms, they should meet half of their riparian management plan commitments by May 31, 2020, with full implementation by 2030.
Nicola McHaffie is a DairyNZ developer, sustainability.
