12.6 What can you do to help?
Here are some tips on how you can help maintain and improve water quality in Northland.
At home:
· Get involved with a landcare or streamcare group in your area and/or help at a community planting day near you. If you would like to improve the water quality of a neighbouring stream, you could up start a streamcare group. For more information contact the Regional Council on 0800 002 004.
· Keep the drain for the rain: Make sure that you do not tip anything down the stormwater. Wash your car on a permeable surface such as grass, so that detergents do not enter the stormwater.
· If you have an onsite wastewater system for your household, marae, school or business, ensure that your system is maintained and regularly emptied.
At work:
· Reduce and minimise sediment run-off and erosion from construction sites.
On the farm:
· Exclude all stock from waterways including rivers, streams, drains, lakes and wetlands and, where suitable, establish a buffer strip of riparian vegetation.
· Prepare a nutrient budget. Develop and implement a nutrient management plan to reduce nutrient losses from your pasture.
More information:
For more information on riparian management contact a land management officer at the Regional Council on 0800 002 004 or check out the following brochures on the Regional Council website:
Clean Streams – A guide to riparian management in Northland
A beginner's guide to wetland restoration
