Feds’ view
Separating rural and provincial governance from urban councils is the simplest and most effective way to streamline local government, Federated Farmers says. Local government spokesperson Sandra Faulkner gave “top marks” to the government for kicking off the conversation about cutting back costs, duplication “and decisionmaking roadblocks that plague our current 78 councils”.
Soil trials
Cambridge husband-and-wife Michelle and Frank Lachmann
Cambridge husband-and wife Michelle and Frank Lachmann trialled their award-winning Herbi’s All Natural living soil with growers and gardeners in Waikato and Bay of Plenty in spring. Early company testing showed improvements in plant and pasture health within the same season, while eliminating the need for synthetic fertilisers.
Booked in
Overcrowding should be thing of the past at Tongariro National Park huts thanks to a new booking system. The Department of Conservation says visitors will now know they have a secured bed for the night after a day naturing in the national park. Tongariro Principal Ranger Heritage and Visitors Stu Smith says the change will bring certainty for visitors. “Some people love a last-minute mission into Tongariro National Park, but it’s never fun if you end up with 30 other people stacked in like sardines, or you’re forced to sleep outside in the rain without a tent.”
Water checks
Waikato Regional Council’s monitoring of rivers, lakes and coastal sites to ensure they are safe for recreational activities come as Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) predicts a warm and wet summer. The annual programme involves mostly weekly collecting and testing of samples for levels of E. coli and cyanobacteria.
