Three field trips are planned. The first is on Saturday 9 September. Please register so our field trip hosts can know how many people to expect. Please bring your own food and drink.
Tahi Honey Saturday 9 September
1824 Pataua North Road
Tahi is a carbon and biodiversity farm and Eco-Retreat. The once rundown cattle farm is being restored. Nearly half a million natives have been planted, 13 wetlands and 5 ha of sand dunes restored. Intensive pest control is undertaken and nearly 50 bird species have returned. All emissions are measured and carbon storage in forests and wetlands is calculated. Tahi also produces honey and skin care products. Visit www.tahinz.com for more information.
Gary Hayman and Maryanne Stevenson-Wright’s Farm Saturday 23 September
22 Bristow Road, Kawakawa
Gary and Maryanne have been farming regeneratively in Kawakawa, Northland for the last 4 ½ years. Earlier, they started a journey pursuing better going sugar free in 2013, then going low carb, high fat (LCHF), that eventually led them to look more closely at their food supply.
They were inspired by Allan Savory’s Ted Talk which led to a Holistic Management course with John King. They now farm 40 Ha, in Kawakawa, using regenerative farming techniques, no fertiliser, and no chemicals. They have introduced Dung Beetles to the property.
The property is subject to flood events from the Kawakawa River. The regenerative farm practices don’t stop the floods, but the land recovers much more quickly once the water has subsided. Could flooding be reduced if the whole catchment were to adopt these practices?
Gary and Maryanne anticipate talking about the process of their farm, results from their management, and some soil inspection including water infiltration testing.
Ocean Regeneration Church Bay TutuKāKĀ Saturday 7 October
The Tutukaka Kelp regeneration project is a truly community-based initiative, spearheaded by haukāinga in collaboration with Te Wairua o Te Moananui – Ocean Spirit Trust. The aim of this project is to restore the mauri of the harbour to a vibrant and healthy state, where kelp forests flourish, marine life abounds and our communities thrive. This is a proactive regeneration project where we are actually propagating kelp from reproductive tissue collected from locally sourced, beach-cast kelp. On this field trip we will visit the community kelp lab at Church Bay on the shores of the harbour and learn about the “Green Gravel” propagation method. We will discuss the role of kelp forests in the climate narrative as well as the importance of regenerating relationship with place as the fundamental starting point of regenerative practice.
“Mēnā kei te hauora te moana ka pērā anō te hauora o te iwi”
If the ocean is healthy so too will the people be healthy
Glenn Edney
Ocean Ecologist, Writer, Photographer.
Ecklonia radiata is the kelp propagated for the regeneration project. Image credit: Glenn Edney
Climate Action Tai Tokerau 