Welcome to the April 2021 edition of On-Stream
We hope your autumn is going well, despite the fact it's been a very dry month around the region. In this edition of On-Stream, we cover winter grazing rules and whether you need consent, follow-up to the recent community meetings in the Arrow and Cardrona areas, information about how you can have your say on ORC's Long-term (10-year) plan. There's also information about Tomahawk Lagoon, how to spot pest of the month Cape Ivy, ideas for kid's activities these holidays, an update from Enviroschools, and tips on developing a wintering plan from our Rural Liaison Team.
|
|
|
Intensive grazing this winter – which rules apply?
|
|
|
 |
|
The government recently announced that some of the new national rules for existing intensive winter grazing will now not come in until May 2022.
In the meantime, you will need to follow rules about intensive grazing in Otago’s Water Plan, which are designed to protect waterways and are based on good management practice. These are the rules outlined in Plan Change 8.
If you can answer “yes” to the following questions, you do not need a resource consent for intensive grazing:
- Is the area of intensive grazing the lesser of 100 ha, or 10% of the total landholding?
- Does the area of intensive grazing avoid any critical source areas?
- Are stock break or block fed from the top to the bottom of a slope?
- Is a vegetated strip of at least 10m maintained between the area of intensive grazing and any water body?
You may also be able to continue intensive grazing without a consent under continuance rights, provided you continue grazing on the same scale with the same effects you have previously.
If you can’t meet all the conditions listed above, you'll need to apply to us for a simplified resource consent to undertake intensive grazing this year. There is a cost of $200 for these resource consents and they will be issued for the period up to 1 November 2021.
Anyone who is unsure if they need a consent is encouraged to get in touch with our Consents Team on 0800 474 082 or by emailing public.enquiries@orc.govt.nz for help. We can also email or post you the resource consent application form, or you can download it here.
|
|
|
Arrow and Cardrona community meetings
|
|
|
 |
|
Thanks to everyone who came along to the community meetings held last month in Arrowtown and Wanaka about the way ORC proposes to manage the flow of the Cardrona and Arrow rivers.
If you missed these meetings and would like to view the staff presentations, or to see the technical background reports, please visit www.orc.govt.nz/arrow or www.orc.govt.nz/cardrona.
|
|
|
Fun activities for kids these holidays
|
|
|
 |
|
These school holidays, check out the Kea Crew programme for kids on our website. It features a series of videos, worksheets and fun activities to help kids learn about Otago’s natural resources. The programme is named after the Kea, as they are known to be intelligent, curious and strong. So be like a Kea and get curious!
|
|
 |
|
St. John Primary School students from Ranfurly recently spent the day in Naseby testing the water quality with Anna Robinson, the Central Otago Enviroschools facilitator. The students were fascinated by all of the macro-invertebrates (including some frogs) they found living in the waterways.
|
|
|
Mauri mahi, mauri ora (through work, we prosper)
|
|
|
|
It's April and it’s really dry in some areas of Otago. Whether or not this leads to a dry winter is unknown, but stock could be on winter crops earlier this year.
Before starting to feed out your winter crops it is best practice to have a documented wintering plan. A plan includes opportunities to minimise the loss of sediment, nutrients and bacteria running off into water through strategic grazing, careful management of infrastructure and having a plan if the weather decides to get really cold and wet.
Going into this winter you have a few options about how to document a plan:
1. Have a go at drafting your own (maybe do some research first, speak to your industry group or farm advisor).
2. Contact an ORC rural liaison advisor, who can work through a simple template with you in the paddock.
3. Search here for the Southern Wintering Advisory Group template. This is the draft wintering module that was sent to government ministers for consideration. It provides context for risk assessment by contaminant type, management options and expectations for the future.
This year we need to learn how to document grazing practices as by next year, it is likely that a wintering module will be ready for farmers to use as part of their whole farm plan. Remember, if you would like some help with wintering plans we are very happy to come to you and help you put a plan together.
On another topic, if you visited us at the 2020 Southern Field Days, you may have grabbed a packet of Carex secta seeds. We have received some promising updates of Carex seedlings well on their way (see below). We hope you have had success if you tried growing some too!
|
|
|
|
|
Otago's Long-term Plan
Find out more about what we propose to do over the next decade in our proposed Long-term (10-year) plan, how this might impact on your rates, and how to make a submission before 9 May here. |
|
|
Pest of the month: Cape Ivy
Cape ivy smothers ground and low-growing plants by forming thick, long-lasting mats that prevent native plant seedlings from growing and hurting our biodiversity. Find out more about what you can do on our Pest Hub. |
|
|
Lower Taieri flood protection works
Learn about ORC’s flood protection works in the Lower Taieri as part of ORC’s Climate Resilience Programme, including flood bank and bridge upgrades along the Contour Channel near Dunedin Airport, and at Taieri River near Outram. Drop in when it suits you to Mosgiel Coronation Hall on 11 May from 4-7pm. |
|
|
Tomahawk Lagoon
If you love Tomahawk Lagoon, have your say on which projects you think should be priorities for the area. There’s a range of options to choose from, all aimed at improving water quality. Drop by and tell us at Grants Braes Football Clubrooms on Thursday 29th April anytime from 3pm until 7.30pm or go online. |
|
|
What's coming up?
29 April: Tomahawk Lagoon water quality priorities drop-in May 9: Last day to have your say on the proposed Long-term (10-year) Plan May 11: Lower Taieri flood protection info session June 30: Last date to submit resource consent applications to replace deemed permits if you want to keep taking water. Find out about Otago Regional Council meetings here. |
|
|
Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might like to read it.
If you have been forwarded this email, you can sign up here.
|
|
|
|
