North Canterbury News: December 21, 2023

RURAL LIFE
The North Canterbury News, December 21, 2023
Biodiversity flourishing on Clarkville farm
19
By GINA MCKENZIE
Atotal of 4500 native plants have been
planted along a2.5 kilometre stretch of
the Burgess Stream which winds through
Andrew and Peter Gilchrist’s 430­hectare
farming operation in Swannanoa over the
past three years.
It is the first freshwater site selected for
improvement as part of awider
Waimakariri IrrigationLimited (WIL)
biodiversity project which has identified
sites of ecological interest with the
potential for restoration or protection
across the schemes 44,000­hectare
command area.
WIL biodiversity project lead Dan
Cameron says 297 sites of interest were
discovered during the initial biodiversity
survey in 2018. Along with the Burgess
Stream, key areas for the biodiversity
initiative include Hunters Stream, and
the Cust River.
‘‘We are focusing on protecting existing
areas of ecological significance which are
connected to neighbouring shareholder
land to create acohesive approach to
restoring biodiversity.
‘‘The 2.5­kilometre section of the
Burgess Stream on Andrew and Peter
Gilchrists property includes several
springheads which play asignificant role
in improving the entire stream system,’’
says Dan.
‘‘When you improve freshwater from its
source you have the biggest impact on the
entire stream system. This also enables
the benefits of the work you are doing to
kick in much sooner for other parts of the
stream.’’
The Burgess Stream crosses 13
kilometres of WIL shareholder land
before it enters lifestyle block properties
at its southern end.
In the long term, Dan would like to see
as much of the stream enhanced and
protected as possible, with the potential
Biodiversity ... Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL) biodiversity project lead Dan Cameron
and Swannanoa farmer Andrew Gilchrist at the BurgessStream site where 4500 native
plants have been planted over the last three years.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
for the lifestyle block owners to get
involved in the environmental restoration
project.
‘‘Once we have the shareholder owned
land restored along the riparian margin
of the stream it would be fantastic to
share knowledge and resources with
lifestyle block owners at the southern end
of Burgess Stream. Working together to
restore the ecosystem of the entire stream
would be amazing.’’
Andrew Gilchrist says that working
with staff and local school children on the
planting project has been incredibly
rewarding. It has also enabled more
funding to be used for purchasing plants.
‘‘Peter and Irun acontracting and
manufacturing business along with the
farm so part of it is seasonal work which
means that our staff were able to get
involved with planting days and site
preparation work.
‘‘It has also meant that the $10,000 of
Immediate Steps (IMS) funding from
Environment Canterbury could be used
entirely for plants as our staff have been
doing the site preparation and
maintenance work.
‘They have loved working on this
project and seeing the changes as the
plants have grown up around the edges of
the stream.
‘‘We also had agroup of children,
teachers and parents from Swannanoa
School help us with the planting. They
were so interested in learning about what
we are trying to achieve,’’ says Andrew.
Native plants were selected based on
what would have once existed in the area
before it was modified by land use, along
with species that provide ecosystem
service, while also considering the types
of plants that fit in with the farming
operation, says Dan.
‘‘We looked at what was ecologically
appropriate for this site, considering the
climate and the region, along with the
qualities of the plants that provide
benefits to the ecosystem that we are
trying to create.
‘‘Carex secta is known to colonise
denitrifying bacteria in its roots which
helps to naturally denitrify water and
helps prevent sediment build up. We’ve
also got flax as it is an excellent food
source when it flowers.’’
The long­term aim is to create aseries
of resource rich stepping stones to help
attract native birds to the area, while the
plants will also provide shade for the
stream and increase the number of
invertebrates and insect species.
For this, they were guided by research
published in 2006 by Colin Meurk and
Graeme Hall.
Andrew says he would encourage other
farmers to get involved in environmental
projects.
‘‘From when we began this planting
journey three years ago, we have seen so
many positive benefits.
‘‘It’s been awesome and our aim is to
continue planting along the whole
stream.
‘‘We’re not sure how long it will take,
but when you make astart, you can keep
chipping away at it. It is positive all
around from awater quality and
environmental perspective.’’
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