Better together - fighting erosion in Blythe Valley

Richard Shaw and Nicki Murray, who live in the Hurunui District’s Blythe Valley, were concerned about the soil quality on their erosion-prone land, and how potential slips would affect native revegetation efforts on their property.

As keen environmentalists, their worries extended beyond their farm to how sedimentation from erosion would also harm the water quality and biodiversity of the catchment.

With like-minded neighbours, Richard and Nicki saw an opportunity to mobilise conservation efforts as a collective, forming a new Blythe Valley Community Catchment Group.

This work is done using several different approaches - one being poplar and willow poles. The roots from the poles connect and lock in the soil, helping prevent potential slips.

This bioengineering tool has been widely used throughout the region's pastoral hill country landscape.

Richard and Nicki believe their efforts to control erosion could have more impact if they invested in a community-run poplar nursery to guarantee quality and supply for the whole catchment.

“I’m excited by the efficiencies in terms of working together as a catchment group as opposed to working as individual farmers when it comes to achieving improved outcomes for the land and the environment,” said Richard.

With thousands of hectares of land between them, the group plans to apply for Soil Conservation and Revegetation (SCAR) funding to create their own poplar and willow nursery.

“I see poplars as multifunctional for our catchment—they are fantastic for erosion control, a valuable feed source when conditions are dry, and would make sections of our catchment eligible to enter the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), generating income.”

The group is investigating locations to grow their poplar poles in the catchment this year.

Richard, a native tree enthusiast, spends much of his time propagating and tending to his eco-sourced seedlings.

He’s keen, along with the catchment group, to understand if there can be a “better balance” when it comes to natives and exotics for erosion control.

“We know that exotics like poplars and willows are very effective at preventing hillside slips, but our group is also interested in conducting trials to look at natives as an option for soil conservation too.”

The catchment group received 8,000 native seedlings last winter from us to support this initiative.