The Riparian Planner - opportunity for nurseries

Now more than ever, nurseries have an opportunity to provide plants to farmers making riparian plans to plant their riparian zones and manage their waterways.

The Riparian Planner is a free online tool that helps farmers and rural professionals create riparian management plans. Drawing from a database of 80 plant species, the Riparian Planner generates a regionally-tailored plan using common but region-specific plants. Each plan includes estimates of numbers of plants required, costs and time frames for fencing; and planting and weed control actions for long-term riparian zone management. Having a riparian management plan is a requirement for all dairy farmers with waterways.

Fencing and managing riparian zones helps provide dense vegetation that can filter out sediment and nutrients before they enter waterways and reduces the likelihood of erosion. Planting trees helps provide shade to the stream and increases habitat for native wildlife like birds and insects.

Nurseries can recommend the Riparian Planner to customers who don’t know where to start or those who already understand riparian planning and planting. The simple and intuitive tool can be used with minimal technical expertise and comes with free training and online support. The DairyNZ website has supporting information on waterway management.

The Riparian Planner was developed by DairyNZ and Landcare Research with input from key environmental experts and regional councils across the country. The tool is especially important to dairy farmers who, over the next four years under the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord, will develop riparian plans on dairy farms and supporting land. This means potential customers who require plant, labour and maintenance services from the production nursery and garden retail industry.

Start your plan now at dairynz.co.nz/riparianplanner.

Want to join DairyNZ’s recommended nurseries list?
Help drive sustainable business for your nursery and support the Riparian Planner by joining our eco-sourcing nursery list for distribution at farmer events, please contact riparianplanner@dairynz.co.nz.

Interested in Riparian Planner training?
Contact riparianplanner@dairynz.co.nz

Photo courtesy of Treeline Native Nursery