Erosion hits half of N.Z.—Minister

Press, 9 November 1983, Page 35

Erosion hits half of N.Z.—Minister

PA Wellington The Government may ultimately have to consider legislation to make erosion control compulsory in vulnerable areas, the Minister of Science, Dr Shearer, has warned. Dr Shearer said that soil erosion was now one of New Zealand’s most critical conservation problems, but people showed a disturbing complacency towards it. He told the Grasslands Association conference in Gisborne that the only legislative tools the catchment authorities have were those controlling unwise land use. They were invoked, he said, only to stop the clearing of land and other practices likely to Cause serious erosion problems. “The Government may ultimately have to consider legislation to make erosion control a compulsory part of land management in vulnerable areas.” Dr Shearer said that one suggestion to counter the problem might be that catchment authorities could

be asked to develop erosion control schemes with good employment potential, using the assistance available under the Government’s job creation schemes. “Agricultural students, for example, could be offered employment over the summer vacation for the installation of erosion control schemes — tree planting, fencing, graded banks, underdrains, debris dams and the like.” Research by government soil scientists suggested that erosion had accelerated in many parts of the country to levels which would pose serious problems for farmers within a few years. It was estimated that more than 13.8 million ha, or 52 per cent of New Zealand’s total area, was affected by surface erosion. “The evidence suggests that once eroded, these man-modified forest soils never regain their original potential for agricultural production. “The facts are that our best and most fertile soils

continued to be scoured away by wind and water at unacceptable and unsustainable levels,” he said. Erosion affected not only the . agricultural industries that provide more than 76 per cent of N.Z.’s export income, but directly and indirectly employ many thousands Of people in this country. “Failure to act now will prejudice New Zealand’s ability to continue to employ those people, and produce agricultural products for world markets,” said Dr Shearer. The first priority was a well-funded programme of research into the efficiency and effectiveness of erosion control programmes. New and improved grasses more suitable to the drier high country must continue to be bred. There was also a need for a vigorous campaign to encourage farmers in erosionprone areas to adopt the most effective of erosion control methods.