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Even before Wenzl and Helen Wech joined the Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR) programme, they had fenced off waterways and started native plantings on their 145ha property.
This winter, they teamed up with seven Year 7 and 8 students and two parents from nearby Matakohe School to help get a further 2750 native species into the soil during a school day.
The mahi raised $1000 for the school, a contribution the couple were happy to make, along with having to buy two sacks of pine cones off the business-savvy students!
Despite being hit by a big flood just weeks later, where the torrent of water was over a metre deep as it raged through the newly planted area, only a handful of plants were washed away.
The plantings, which were funded by the KMR, complement the self-funded planting of just over half a hectare behind the couple’s house.
Species include tanekaha, rimu, houhere (lacebark), akeake, purple akeake, tarata (lemonwood), harekeke (flax), mānuka, ti kouka (cabbage tree) and karamū.
“The KMR planting of mānuka, cabbage, flax, carex, coprosma, oi oi and ribbonwood was done around our waterways to stop any nutrients from entering the Kaipara Harbour,” Wenzl says. “We hope the school comes back in a year, looks at their success and helps with more planting.”
The next stage will be to plant around the marshland bordering mangroves on the property.
“Dad always told me you leave a property better than when you got it. To be able to plant natives with the KMR funding is beautifying the property, as well as stopping any pollutants running off the property.
“Our drive over the past 10 years has been protecting the native bush and bringing the birds back.
There are five patches of mature natives – around one hectare each – around the farm and we want to protect them as much as we want to do more KMR planting.
“Over the past year, we have also killed 400 possums and a swag of wild cats.”
Wenzl and Helen acknowledge the Kaipara catchment is a delicate environment and KMR has changed their thinking about farming.
“I would encourage farmers to take advantage of it. It is free money and you are leaving something for the next generation. I think 99% of farmers want to do right by the environment. We struggle to make money at times and it is another cost to do planting, but when half of it is paid for then it is sensible to jump on board.
“If every dairy farmer can plant even a portion of their land, it is going to make the Kaipara look pretty cool,” the couple say.
