Soil is one of Taranaki’s most important resources.
The region’s rural-based wealth depends on the amount of grass produced, which in turn depends on the sustainable management of soils. The region is fortunate to have naturally robust soils that retain their structure, nutrients and organic matter, a product of their volcanic nature. However, good management is still required to retain this advantage.
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Soil Erosion
Soil erosion rates vary throughout the region according to geology, slope, vegetation cover and land use. Land uses that are sustainable are those that match the capabilities of the land.
Monitoring undertaken by the Taranaki Regional Council shows that:
- 87.4% of the hill country is being used sustainably with no significant soil erosion problems.
- There has been a 2.4% increase in sustainability over the past five years.
- The area of land in sheep and beef farming has continued to decline.
- 30.8% of hillcountry land is now reverting to scrub.
- The area in plantation forestry has doubled since 1994.
- A total of 269 comprehensive farm plans and 24 agroforestry plans have been prepared.
- 178,580 ha, or 58% of privately-owned hillcountry land, and 5,233 ha, or 41% of privately-owned sand country, are now included in the Council’s sustainable land management programme.
The Council will continue to monitor soil erosion in Taranaki.
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Soil Health
The Council has continued soil quality investigations and monitoring projects to ascertain whether there are any emerging trends in Taranaki relating to soil compaction, depletion of soil nutrients, and residual soil contamination, each of which would affect soil health.
This research shows that:
- 97% of Taranaki soils are of very low to moderate vulnerability to soil compaction.
- There is evidence of soil compaction on some Taranaki farms during wet weather, but this compaction is generally reversible with appropriate pasture and stock management.
- The carbon content of Taranaki soils is not changing, suggesting that soils are not becoming depleted of their organic content.
- Phosphate levels, while increasing, are considered appropriate.
- Total nitrogen levels are higher than optimal on all dairy farms surveyed, although most nitrogen is in the organic form which does not so readily leach out of the soil.
- Nitrogen levels indicate vigorous pasture growth and have only minor implications for nutrient balancing.
- Levels of cadmium available for uptake by plants are well below amounts that would give rise to environmental concerns, although they are increasing slowly.
- There is no evidence of any issue of residual or cumulative agrichemicals in the soils of the region.
- Baseline studies have been undertaken to explore soil fauna diversity.
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Contaminated Sites and Hazardous Substances
The Council’s register of selected land uses records 1,281 sites where past or current activities could have resulted in contamination. Of these:
- 757 sites (59%) have been investigated and no contamination found to be present.
- 16 sites have been remediated, so levels of contamination no longer pose an unacceptable environmental risk.
- 480 sites contain hazardous substances, but based on current knowledge, not at levels that would pose an unacceptable environmental risk, or they are currently being managed so that there is no unacceptable risk, including the site of the former Patea freezing works where a major fire occurred in February 2008.
- 28 sites have been classified as being low-risk, but require further investigation to complete classification.
- No sites have been deemed ‘contaminated’, i.e. found to pose an unacceptable risk.
Council inspects industries and businesses to assess compliance with relevant regulations. Potentially contaminated sites are managed through the register of selected land uses and through district plans.
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Biodiversity
Biodiversity is significant to the people of Taranaki. It provides economic benefits in the form of ecosystem services (such as pollination, soil stability and fertility, and maintaining water quality), tourism opportunities, and potential commercial and medical uses.
The Taranaki region, despite its modest size, is a biologically diverse region.
In summary:
- Over 140,000 ha, or 20% of the region, are set aside as public conservation land.
- 3,374 ha of indigenous vegetation on private land are protected by landowners through QEII covenants, and this area is increasing.
- 57% of remaining indigenous vegetation is either in public conservation land or private land protected by a QEII covenant.
- 40 birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates have been identified as threatened in Taranaki, with about seven of them either stable or improving in numbers.
- Predator control programmes, aimed at protecting threatened birds, are undertaken by a range of agencies, landowners and community groups.
- Research into kereru and tuı in New Plymouth highlighted the importance of both native and exotic flowering and fruiting trees in the city.
- Threatened plants often occupy coastal, cliff-edge habitats and are threatened by weed species such as giant gunnera.
- Possum levels are kept at low levels by landowners through the Taranaki Regional Council’s self-help possum control programme on the ring plain and by Department of Conservation programmes in priority conservation areas.
- Areas with goat control are healthier with higher numbers of regenerating seedlings of plant species vulnerable to goat browse.
- Restoration of riparian, or streamside, vegetation results in an increase of both plant and bird biodiversity.
- The number of community-led biodiversity projects is increasing.
Biodiversity on land is managed by a number of agencies. The Taranaki Regional Council has prepared a Biodiversity Strategy to guide all the various biodiversity actions undertaken by the Council, for working alongside landowners to maintain and enhance biodiversity on private land.
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Case study |
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Kii Tahi, the Human Factor in Biodiversity Most of the plant output – about 44,000 per year, all of them native species – is destined for Taranaki stream banks where they protect and enhance water quality and promote biodiversity. And many of the young workers who have come through the nursery have found it to be a springboard to a career, not only in horticulture but also with organisations like the Navy. “A lot of people think the youngsters don’t want to work but there are plenty keen to work here,” said the Operations Manager, Heremia Taputoro. “And many have done well. We’re growing our people.” An enterprise of Nga Rauru Kiitahi, the nursery has a ‘catchment’ of 11 marae to call on and currently has satellite growing operations at two others besides Wai-o-Turi. Heremia leads four full-time staff at the 1.6 ha main site, set amongst the marae’s 4 ha. A stunning garden of native flaxes and grasses graces the road frontage, a clear signal to visitors about this enterprise’s kaupapa. Kii Tahi produces 20 varieties of native plants and flaxes, most under contract to the Taranaki Regional Council for its riparian management programme. Nursery workers also get involved in the on-farm planting and follow-up maintenance work. The nursery was established in 2000, growing vegetables at first but soon made the switch to native species, as the Council’s riparian scheme offers a relatively secure customer base. Kii Tahi shares the Council’s ambition to greatly increase the rate of riparian planting in the region – in this case for the extra employment opportunities it will create for the iwi, as well as the biodiversity and environmental benefits of the project. |
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