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Over the past year, the Ashburton Forks Catchment Group has moved from establishment into delivery. The emphasis has been on practical action, learning from what’s happening on the ground, and building a group that provides value for the people farming in the catchment. The group covers the Ashburton Forks, Staveley and Alford Forest areas, bounded roughly by the Rangitata Diversion Race, Thompsons Track, and the North and South Branches of the Ashburton River. It’s a distinc

A fishing representative says Greenpeace's "vandalism" of Rakaia's iconic salmon statue has hurt a rural community just to make a political point. Greenpeace protesters defaced the large statue on February 15, just weeks after a $300,000 ratepayer-funded refurbishment. The activists replaced the salmon's eyes with cartoon-style crosses and added a speech bubble reading ‘Fonterra killed my family’. Greenpeace Aotearoa freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe said the protest aimed t

‘Let’s keep the momentum going’ was the theme for a field day hosted at Pencarrow Farm in early December. Presenters balanced acknowledging current action, which is proven to reduce nitrogen (N) losses, with new and emerging science targeting further reductions. Collaboration across the sector is evident and remains a critical part of collective action to manage N. Acton Farmers Irrigation, Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation, Barhill Chertsey Irrigation, DairyNZ, Enviro Collectiv

Methven farmer John McCaw fears the council’s stockwater service exit could come at the detriment of a natural waterway intertwined in the network. McCaw said he supported Ashburton District Council's decision to end the service in Mid Canterbury, but warned that a full closure “represents a grave threat to the future of the Mount Harding Creek”. “It’s more than just a water race." He is happy to see the end of the stockwater service but wants the water to still be used to ma

Ashburton deputy mayor Richard Wilson, who chairs the stockwater transition group, described the decision to partially close the Pudding Hill stockwater race network as “a significant decision in our district's history". SUPPLIED The oldest stockwater scheme in Mid Canterbury has become the first domino to fall in a “significant decision in the district’s history”. The Ashburton District Council is working to exit the stockwater service delivery by June 30, 2027. The council

On top of water quality data collection, landowners are also expanding their knowledge of environmental management and where to make strategic investments to have the greatest environmental impact. Supplied. The Heakeo Hinds Hill Country catchment group have been collecting water quality data, carrying out eDNA (environmental data testing), and planting more natives through the catchment group. On top of this data collection, they are also expanding their knowledge of environ

North Canterbury farmer Roger Johnson says it makes little sense for New Zealand to rely so heavily on imported nitrogen when a rich natural source already exists within farm systems. Supplied. Āmua, a Canterbury start-up based on a farm near Waiau in the Hurunui district is developing world-first wearable technology for cows that could change how farmers manage nitrogen on farm. For Āmua co-founder and chief executive Roger Johnson, a North Canterbury farmer, the idea grew f

Environment Canterbury Councillor Vicky Southworth put forward the motion to declare a nitrate emergency in Canterbury. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon As one of the final acts of the term, Canterbury Regional councillors declared a nitrate emergency. Few deny a problem , but some labelled the move as "meaningless" and marks a deepening a divide between town and country. LDR reporter Jonathan Leask looks at the murky issue. The declaration In a slim margin, Environment Canterbur