Soil Conservation Programmes

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Waikato Regional Council reduces erosion through large scale soil conservation schemes. Trees are planted on hills and stream banks, gullies and waterways are fenced to prevent stock access, and land has been retired.

Image of riparian protectionWith the support of Government grants, Waikato Regional Council and its predecessors implemented soil conservation programmes. These programmes focus on preventing erosion and sedimentation of waterways.

The programmes include wide-ranging catchment control schemes and 500 separate property plans. Land Improvement Agreements, between landowners and Waikato Regional Council, set out the future maintenance and management needs for most of the soil conservation work.

Soil conservation programmes include:

  • tree planting on hills and stream banks
  • retiring land
  • fencing gully areas and waterways to prevent stock access

 

A summary of our soil conservation works is shown below:

Scheme Land retired (ha) Fencing (km) Planting (ha) Structures Water Supply systems Replacement value ($million)
Taupō 5,145 1,125 4,252 86 41 15.20
Waihou Valley 2,600 410 780 150 - 4.72
Paeroa Range 1,181 564 1,267 54 65 7.70
Reporoa 1,015 269 958 38 8 3.10
Waitomo 883 50 369 4 3 0.58
Karapiro and Arapuni 600 37 126 37 150 0.55
Separate Plans - - - - - 3.33
Total 11,424 2,455 7,752 331 259 35.18