Project - Land Use and Management

Our Land and Water Project

Perrin Ag, one of New Zealand’s top agribusiness advisors, has teamed up with Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research to carry out some groundbreaking research for the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge.

The New Zealand Agricultural sector needs to take steps to reduce its environmental impact with an area of primary concern being water quality. The project is called the Catchment Synthesis Project and is being undertaken in three catchments around New Zealand including the Te Hoiere in Marlborough. This research is seeking to estimate the scope of land practice and land use change over a 20-year period that might be required to achieve better water quality in the catchment.

Perrin Ag is looking to ensure that the assumptions made reflect farmer preferences and other external factors, not just the assumed financial drivers.

This project started in August 2023 and will likely be completed early 2024. Results from the modelling will be shared however no identifying land owner information will be made public.

Wither Hills Fire Management

The Wither Hills Farm Park is a prominent landscape feature with strong community interest in its management. It draws around 300 thousand visitors each year and is viewable from Blenheim and surrounding parts of the wider District.

In response to the Boxing Day fire in 2000, a management plan was developed for the Wither Hills Farm Park in 2003. With the ongoing development around and within the Farm Park and increasing visitor numbers, Council has commissioned a revision of the management plan.

As a key factor in the management plan, a Wither Hills Wildfire Risk Management Analysis was undertaken. This risk analysis work identifies current and future risks as well as risk mitigation strategies for the farm Park.

The wildfire risk analysis considers possible change in park vegetation that aim to increase biodiversity, ensure soil stability, reduce fire risk and improve amenity value in the park.

This study has recently been completed and will be released to the public as the Wither Hills Park Management Plan review progresses.

Fresh Water Farm Plans

Freshwater Farm Plans are a nationally mandated system that is part of central government initiative. They have been legislated under Part 9A of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and the Resource Management (Freshwater Farm Plans) Regulation 2023..

Go to the Resource Management Act 1991 Part 9A on the NZ Legislation website

Go to the Resource Management (Freshwater Farm Plans) Regulations 2023 on the NZ Legislation website on the NZ Legislation website

A Freshwater Farm Plan will be used to identify risks to freshwater on farm and will help the landowner to manage and mitigate those risks.

SWAT Model Development

The Ministry for the Environment's Guidance material for the implementation of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) highlights an increasing need for the use of spatial models.

As at September 2023, Marlborough District Council is about to begin the process of developing a SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) Sediment model for the Te Hoiere Catchment. This will allow council to achieve a number of desired outcomes including:

Integrate highly detailed land surface and water quality spatial data of increasing volume and complexity held within council for use by internal and external customers.
Utilise emerging data sources such as rainfall radar, virtual climate data, and assess their usefulness for modelling applications.
Establish a foundation for modelling other freshwater contaminants within the Te Hoiere Project area.
Develop a basis for modelling future climate change scenarios.
Improve the ability of council to make decisions on resource management.