Forest focus for valley farmer

6th July 2010

The remaining patches of native forest on the Wairarapa plains and the impressive limestone hills around Longbush Valley and Ponatahi are two elements Longbush farmer Peter Gawith treasures in the regional environment.
Mr Gawith is chairman of the Greater Wellington Regional Council Wairarapa hill country advisory committee, which provides Greater Wellington advice on farming and land management issues, particularly in Wairarapa's erosion-prone eastern hill country. This area makes up a third of the Wellington region.
Mr Gawith said it was most important farmers knew what environmental standards were expected of them.
''Most farmers take it for granted that if they farm using best practice they are doing right by the environment.
''While we think we are doing a good job, we may not be. So we need to know,'' he said.
''Looking after what's left of the natural forest _ the mature totara, kahikatea, matai and miro _ is definitely a priority. Land owners in many cases have fenced native bush areas, covenanted them with the assistance of QE2 or managed them to encourage regeneration.
''I've got five hectares of bush fenced on my property and, while the trees aren't as impressive as some, it's special to me.''
Mr Gawith said the main environmental impact on his hill country farm had been sediment getting into waterways.
His property had been operating under a farm plan since the 1950s that had been targeting the worst erosion-prone areas with tree planting.
''About 60 per cent of the farm is now considered protected from erosion by tree plantings.