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Dung Beetles in Pongakawa

A practical tool for cleaner streams, healthier soils and stronger pasture systems“Look what I found in the Upper Catchment.”That simple message sparked a bigger conversation about what dung beetles could mean for Pongakawa.At first glance, they might seem like a small detail in a much bigger catchment story. But dung beetles represent something powerful, a practical, nature-based solution that supports water quality, pasture performance and parasite management all at once.Pongakawa is uniqu...

Tīmata vs Traditional Native Planting

Year Two Results from Bay of Plenty Trial SitesWe are excited to share the second-year results from our comparative study assessing the Tīmata Method alongside traditional native planting approaches.The Tīmata Method is designed to imitate natural reversion, using a higher proportion of mānuka and kānuka forestry-grade plants at wider spacings. This approach significantly reduces planting costs while supporting long-term ecosystem health.What are we seeing so far?Across three Bay of Plenty s...

Can Carbon Credits Be Part of the Farm System?

Most farmers have heard enough about carbon credits to be wary of them. And fair enough. When carbon becomes the main driver of land use, we see whole farms planted into pine and decisions that don’t reflect good farming practice. The question is: “Can carbon credits actually improve the farming system, rather than replacing it?” The short answer: Yes, if used carefully, and aligned with good land management.Farmers are already doing the work Across the region, farmers are f...

One Health, One Welfare or Te Ao Māori?

By Dr Helen Beattie, Managing Director, VAWAThe challenges in our use of animals and the environment are deeply intertwined and complex. Our so-called ‘wicked problems’ (such as intensive winter grazing and the lack of shade/shelter on many farms), need a considered, careful response – there is no single person, practice or policy that is the solution.These practices negatively affect the welfare of people, animals, and the environment yet most of us have made little progress towards resol...

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