Pilot Project: Exploring "Carbon Neutral"
December 2023 - July 2024
King Country River Care (KCRC) are helping their farmers better understand the concept of achieving/creating “carbon neutral” farm operations with the use of “pilot farms” from within the KCRC catchment.
Project Background:
1. Use three real farmers in our area to investigate:
Where they are now.
Will any policy changes, they are thinking about, get them to a carbon neutral position?
If relevant what else might need to be considered?
Dairy and sheep/beef.
Breeding cows.
Hill country.
Our next generation.
The on-farm field days share the results and summary findings to:
a. Discuss what is meant by “carbon neutral” considering the NZ Government rules, alongside other in-market interpretations.
b. Share the modelling results of the three existing farm operations that calculated their existing environmental KPIs, GHG emissions (CH4, N2O and CO2), sequestration and profitability.
c. Discuss the modelling results of different on-farm actions that will reduce emissions and then quantify the impacts of these to get to “carbon neutral” and their combined impact on the farm business.
PROJECT: 1BT KICK START
Funding for landowners in the Awakino, Mokau, Upper Mangaokewa, Marokopa, and Kawhia Harbour catchments for the 2024 planting seasons to cover riparian/restoration/erosion control projects identified in their Farm Environment Plan. Funding covers the costs of planting and fencing.
If you have any questions about your application contact Anna Nelson (KCRC Coordinator)
Mobile: 0274 900 501
Email: kcrivercare@gmail.com
Community Project: Piopio Domain
October 2023
The Piopio Domain has had a tidy up thanks to funding from King Country River Care. 1.5km of fencing with high visibility electric tape has been erected to keep stock out of the waterways and 2,000 natives planted by and sourced from Waiora Rivercare, which will stabilise the surrounding banks, and in the long term provide shelter for stock. Unwanted trees have also been removed from the site.
Thanks to all those involved.
Share Mongolia Programme
July 2023
The Share Mongolia Programme evolved a few years ago when Paul Brough was trekking in Mongolia and came across a mob of sheep and some locals cutting the wool off with large scissors. As he found out, it was 900 ewes and at 30 sheep per day, about a month’s work! He went away thinking there must be something he could do to help.
Establishing low-cost forest grade native seedlings
Currently native tree establishment costs are around $20,000 per hectare, this is massively prohibitive especially recognising the current incentivisation for planting pines to generate significant (and rapidly escalating) income from carbon credits/offsets. KCRC are interested in options to facilitate the more cost-effective establishment of natives
Traps catch sediment
A farmer-led study investigating the effectiveness of sediment traps to improve water quality has delivered some encouraging results.
You can read more about the project here