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IRRIGATION & DRAINAGE
Coast & Country
Farm planning for a sustainable future Being sustainable means actively looking after environmental resources so they can be valued and enjoyed by future generations. The benefits of protecting natural resources and sustainable management of land can extend well beyond the farm. Improvements to downstream water quality and enhanced habitat networks for wildlife are common outcomes. Wildlands works with land managers to produce Integrated Sustainable Farm Plans. The company provides high quality and cost-effective information, advice and technical services. This assists clients to achieve sustainable management and enhancement of the indigenous biodiversity, ecosystems and resources they oversee. A critical objective is to integrate these features into farm management in a way that complements and adds value to landowners’ core operations
and underlying business rather than compromising it. Plans include tasks and timeframes, estimated costs for works and a map of the farm – utilising upto-date aerial photography. Integrated sustainable farm plans provide a long-term, site specific, integrated approach to environmental management within the farming system. Wildlands’ approach stands apart in that it takes into account social, economic and commercial dimensions of farm management – in addition to on-the-ground features and operational and practical considerations. A primary focus may be biodiversity, soil and water conservation, landscape enhancement, and or kaitiakitanga – guardianship – but plans are entirely flexible and can address all sorts of other items, for example: • Management and protection of bush and natural areas – biodiversity • Protection of streams, wetlands and waterways • Control of erosion, sediment and nutrients flowing into waterways • Fencing of natural and erosion prone areas
Sustainable farming; protection of streams, wetlands and waterways.
• Pest animal and weed control • Construction or enhancement of habitat for wildlife e.g. waterfowl or other birds
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Environmental farm planning is a useful tool for helping farmers and landowners to manage their resources in a sustainable way.
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• Revegetation or afforestation projects • Carbon monitoring and assessment • Land use capability • GIS farm mapping