TRC urges more riparian planting

Taranaki farmers need to "ramp up" riparian planting to meet possible Government water quality requirements, says the Taranaki Regional Council.

About 95 per cent of Tara-naki's dairy farms have had riverbank planting plans prepared but just over half of them are in the process of being implemented.

At a TRC policy and planning committee meeting yesterday, chief executive Basil Chamberlain said the council had prepared more than 2300 riparian plans and now farmers needed to get moving and take ownership.

"The ball's in the farmers' court to ramp up and meet the target. They know what the task is, they need to go out there," he said.

Mr Chamberlain said that nationally there was discussion about how best to maintain and improve water quality.

It was important for Taranaki to future-proof its industry by being proactive with the protection of water quality, he said.

"There'll potentially be some heavy stuff coming out of Wellington.".

Mr Chamberlain was commenting on an annual activity report on the council's progress on sustainable land management programmes.

As at June 30 this year, the council had prepared a total of 2334 riparian plans, including 95 per cent of the approximately 1680 Fonterra Taranaki dairy farms.

The Dairying and Clean Streams Accord drawn up in 2004 by Taranaki dairy farming leaders, Fonterra, Federated Farmers and the TRC has a goal of 90 per cent of stream banks to be planted and fenced off by 2015.

Counting the existing fencing and planting, 68 per cent of stream banks are fenced and 59 per cent of stream banks that need protection are planted.

The accord covers riparian fencing and planting, stream crossings, effluent discharges, nutrient budgets to get the most from fertiliser use, and the protection of wetlands.

The ultimate aim is to have fences and vegetation on most of the 17,500 kilometres of stream bank on the ring plain.

When asked about the milk payout affecting the rate of riparian work, Mr Chamberlain said it had consistently tracked up regardless of the economic climate.

But some attitudes needed to be adjusted and planting factored into budgets, he said.

"There are farmers committed to doing it but we need others doing it in good years as well as bad."

- © Fairfax NZ News