As with previous years, the flyovers will be looking at forestry and any machinery working in or around streams, rivers and wetlands and intensive winter grazing, says ORC’s Manager Compliance, Carlo Bell.

“The ORC undertakes compliance flights every year to gain a bird’s eye view on land use in districts around the region to identify any potential risks to water quality”

Mr Bell says following the flyovers, staff will assess the information and undertake site visits and follow ups on any potential high-risk sites to ‘ground truth’ observations and check compliance.

 These flyovers are an effective way to look at activities across the region from forestry to winter grazing, that they’re operating the way they should be.

“The flyovers are one tool in our compliance tool box and have been a long-standing part of our compliance work programme,” Mr Bell says.

For the winter grazing activities Mr Bell acknowledges that the Government has recently changed the regulations relating to Intensive Winter Grazing and encourages Otago farmers to continue with their best management practices.

“We know farmers are well set for this winter and have grazing plans in place and are able to maintain the gains put in place from previous gazing seasons. While the regulations have changed, good practice hasn’t changed,” he says.

Maintain a grazing management plan and sediment controls

“ORC’s compliance programme will continue for this winter, with a continued focus on education where appropriate however, the worse the effect on the environment the more likely that enforcement tools will be considered,” he says.

“We’re expecting farmers, forestry contractors and earth moving contractors, to have plans drawn up for managing sediment which is likely to be mobilised and sediment controls in place to keep sediment from getting into Otago waterways,” he says.

Anyone who sees pollution of a waterway is encouraged to call the ORC’s 24/7 pollution hotline on 0800 800 033, or email pollution@orc.govt.nz.