North Canterbury News: February 29, 2024

Weeds in the spotlight
By DAVID HILL,
Local Democracy Reporter
Aproject to support weed control on
the Waiau Toa Clarence River is set to
receive afunding boost.
The Kaikōura Zone Committee has
given its support to an $11,800 grant to
the Waiau toa /Clarence River weed
control rafting trip, which is being led
by council staff.
Environment CanterburyKaikōura
senior biodiversity officer Heath
Melville said the project was the
continuation of the Waiau Toa
Clarence Braided River Weed
Strategy, which the zone committee
has supported since 2014.
The project has cost $190,500 to date,
with Land Information New Zealand
contributing $106,000 and the balance
paid by Environment Canterbury.
‘‘This workisabout protecting
species directly related to the braided
river environment,’’ Mr Melville said.
‘‘It is amatter of getting the weed
threat down enough so it becomes a
moreresilient system.’’
He said the additional funding, if
approved by Environment
Canterbury’s water and land
committee, would fund Clarence River
Rafting to transport Environment
Canterbury staff and equipment up the
river to complete weed control work.
He anticipated it would be a‘‘two to
three raft mission’’, depending on how
many staff and volunteers were
available, and take place over four
days.
Staff would be dropped off along
river terraces and beaches with nap
sacks to target weeds, including known
sources of buddleia and willow.
‘‘Previous efforts have this section
relatively clean of gorse and broom,
which has been completed in two
stages over two years,’’ Mr Melville
said.
Councillor Grant Edge said he
supported giving the additional
funding to the project.
‘‘It is such amajor project and it is
important work which is getting
results.’’
Asecond project was considered, to
support landowners at Mt Fyffe with a
pest control project, with the zone
committee declining support for now.
The landowners will asked for more
information and invited to reapply
later in the year.
LDR is local body journalism cofunded
by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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RURAL LIFE
North Canterbury News, February 29, 2024
Young farmers to showcase their skills
Lincoln University student, Phoebe
Smailes,aged 21, is one competing in the
upcoming two­day Tasman FMG Young
Farmer of the Year Regional competition
for athird time.
Ms Smailes is one of 155AgriKidsNZ,
FMG Junior and FMG Young Farmer
contestants from Canterbury tothe Coast
who have put their names forward for a
shot at victory in the Tasman Regional
Final.
It is being held tomorrow Friday March
1and Saturday March 2, at the
Canterbury Agricultural Park in
Christchurch, and is the third regional
competition to find New Zealand’s top
young farmers for 2024.
Seven regional finals are taking place
across Aotearoa between February and
April, with only the top contestants
qualifying for aspot at the FMG Young
Farmer of the Year Grand Final, being
held in Hamilton in July.
After competing twice before, Ms
Smalies is confident this year she has
what it takes to have asolid go at claiming
the regional title.
‘‘Over the last two years of competing at
the FMG Young Farmer of the Year
regionals I’ve learnt that you’ve got to do
it for your own personal development, not
anyone else’s, and Iamdefinitely focused
this year on getting the job done,’’ she
says.
❛Over the last two years of
competing at the FMG Young
Farmer of the Year regionals
I’ve learnt that you’ve got to do
it for your own personal
development, not anyone
else’s, and Iamdefinitely
focused this year on getting
the job done.❜
This year’s contest has much to offer
spectators, with the fast­paced head­tohead
competitions always amajor
highlight.
Every couple of hours during the daylong
competition, contestants compete
side­by­sidetofinish arange of
challenging tasks within a30­minute time
limit, all while trying to complete other
tasks.
Judges are looking for the ultimate allrounder,
with challenges that involve
machinery, fencing, livestock, plus afew
odd balls thrown in to test competitors
general knowledge skills.
In the past, these have been cooking,
sewing, fish deboning or other creative
skills.
Day one tomorrow will be full­onfor the
contestants, while Saturday, March 2, will
see the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the
Year and AgriKidsNZ school teams in
action as they too try to make it into the
grand final.
Contestants will compete in one of
three categories depending on their age.
Primary school students, some as young
as eight, can enter the AgriKidsNZ
contest, while high school students,
working in teams of two, areeligible for
the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the
Year competition. Day two concludes for
the young farmer contestants with a
formal dinner and the question­andanswer
buzzer quiz, giving them one final
chance to earn points before the winners
are announced after two days of
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