Forest and Bird Support for Farm Environment Awards

Forest and Bird, Issue 306, 1 November 2002, Page 8

Forest and Bird Support for Farm Environment Awards

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distinguished life member of Forest and Bird, was instrumental in establishing the Farm Environment Awards while chair of the Waikato Conservation Board.

—GORDON STEPHENSON.

farm environment award é. initiated in the Waikato is about to become a national competition, and Forest and Bird has a role to play. The idea of this award began 10 years ago with the Waikato Conservation Board, whose concept originally was a conservation award for those landowners managing their farms in a sensitive manner. It took little time, however, to realize that really it was the whole issue of sustainable landmanagement that was critical, with conservation being an integral part of that. The Waikato Regional Council gave support, as sustainable land-management is an important part of their brief. After a couple of years of Environment Waikato doing the administration on behalf of a committee, it became clear that an independent Trust was needed, with Environment Waikato becoming the chief sponsor. That has been the picture ever since. Many other organisations have become sponsors of awards such as ‘best dairy farmer’ or ‘habitat enhancement’. Over the years, there have

been clear trends. One has been for the winners to come from farms which performed in the top group for profit as well as for environmental management. Another has been an emphasis on care of water quality. A third has been the attitudes towards our native species. Rarely do we now see bush with cattle in, and pest control is common. Christine Henderson, past chair of Southland Forest and Bird, and Geoff Doring, current chair of Wairarapa Forest and Bird had their first experiences this year of being judges in the Farm Environment Awards. For Herman van Rooijen, past chair of South Waikato Forest and Bird, it was his eighth go. They all show enthusiasm for the Awards. ‘Being a judge in the Awards was the first time I had done anything like this, said Geoff Doring. ‘I thoroughly enjoyed being involved, For Christine Henderson, it was the people she met, and going round in a mixed group of people. "You learn a lot as you go, she comments. ‘I recommend it 100 percent. Both felt it was good for Forest and Bird to be involved,

bringing into their teams their particular expertise in care of bush and wetlands, and issues such as stream care. ‘I was able to discuss new ideas and philosophy with likeminded people, said Geoff Doring. Working through the many judging criteria for the first time was a challenge. ‘That was where having Herman down to help us was of such value, said Christine Henderson. ‘He has had such a wealth of experience.’ Herman van Rooijen went down to Southland to assist with their judging. As a farmer himself, Herman has been trying to put into practice the concepts he has observed over several years. ‘Sustainable management is a whole farm concept, he believes. ‘It is how you fit together all the complexities of economic efficiency, care of soil and soil nutrients, stock health, stream care, shelter and shade, appropriate land use, conservation, biodiversity, pest control, waste and effluent management — even the extent to which there is public use of the land, or the farmer’s

involvement in the community. It has greatly pleased him to see how the ideas being espoused by the Farm Environment Awards are becoming mainstream in the farming community. Of course great benefits come from having field days on the top farms. They become the role models. However, possibly greater gains come from a group of judges walking around the farms of entrants, and discussing the problems on that farm. One can go back to those farms two or three years later, and note the changes which have occurred, and often the enthusiasm with which they are done. When it comes to your turn for your region to join in, it is important that there are at least some judges from Forest and Bird. You might even think of your Branch sponsoring a regional award for some aspect of conservation, as Waikato Branch has done.