Farm management plans
Farm management plans are voluntary, and involve Lake Omapere Trustees and Land Management staff from the Regional Council working with the landowner to:
- Integrate environmental planning with other on-farm objectives, industry best management practices, as well as the wider catchment goals; and
- Achieve the landowners’ property goals by tailoring the Environmental Farm Plan to individual property needs; and
- Provide information to help the landowner or manager in making sound environmental decisions for their property.
From October to December 2004, nine landowners in the catchment were bought on board to develop individual farm management plans, with another three due to be mapped this summer.
The process of developing these plans began with visits to each landowner or farm manager by a Lake Omapere Trustee (or representative) and a Regional Council Land Management Officer, to discuss the restoration project and the concept and process of developing a farm management plan.
The mapping is done with the landowner/manager, the Regional Council Land Management Officer and Trustee, and includes:
- Walking the property together and mapping:
- Soil type
- Contour
- Aspect
- Ground and surface water
- Significant sites
- Marking fence lines and other relevant features on aerial photography
- Identifying and discussing limitations to land use, such as erosion; wetland, swamp or seep areas; previous land use.
- Returning to the home to complete a questionnaire and discuss:
- Management factors such as effluent application, drainage, and grazing management
- Fertiliser use, the concept of nutrient budgets, and the Fertiliser Code of Practice
- Soil health
- Biodiversity
- Riparian management and what they can do to help improve the water quality of (or minimise impact on) Lake Omapere and waterways within the Lake Omapere catchment.
All farmers in the process agreed to have a nutrient budget developed by their fertiliser supplier.