HSC Projects
The HSC is constantly a hive of activity, as we are involved in a wide range of projects to deliver on our eight community-established objectives. Each year the committee chooses a focus for the year, and for 2026 that is biosecurity (weeds and pests) and biodiversity, which includes the Community Native Nursery and development of the next two catchment enhancement demonstration sites. You can find out more about some of our key projects below.
Productive and Sustainable Land Use (PSLU)
The Productive and Sustainable Land Use (PSLU) project, funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries, aims to support landowners within the Hakataramea Valley catchment to meet environmental challenges. At the same time, the project seeks to help landowners remain prosperous, and in turn create a more resilient, thriving community.
The project enabled HSC to develop an integrated catchment environmental plan, specific to the 89,000-hectares within the valley. This allowed the community to set the catchment values, risks, and potential improvements. Mitigation and enhancement projects demonstrate how plans could be actioned on individual farms within our unique environment. Landowners can use the project's resources and research to build their skills and capability and to develop and implement on-farm plans and actions for their individual farm environments.
The project had three key objectives:
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Develop a catchment-specific integrated environmental plan to support landowners to improve sustainable land-use, meet environmental standards, and enhance community resilience in socio-economic and ecological domains.
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Support landowners to draw on these integrated environmental plan resources and research to create and strengthen their individual Farm Environment Plans (FEPs).
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Carry out demonstration projects to support capability building of landowners to action their FEP’s and improve environmental health.
HSC seeked to provide the following opportunities through the delivery of the project:
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Access to catchment-specific resources to support sustainable land management decisions.
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Improve peer-to-peer and cross-sector learning opportunities that support on-farm decision-making and build community cohesion.
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Effectively communicate and work with iwi and key stakeholders in a manner that avoids over-burdening these external groups and organisations.
For more information, contact Sarah Elliot, pslu@hakatarameasc.co.nz.
Biosecurity
The biosecurity project aims to reduce weed and animal pest burden in the Hakataramea Valley catchment. Fewer weeds and pests result in greater crop and better animal performance for farmers, as well as enhanced natural biodiversity within the landscape and along waterways.
Our initial focus has been on gorse and broom, while continuing to reduce the incidence of Bennett’s wallabies within the catchment. Other weeds targeted within the project include horehound, nassella tussock, wilding conifers and willows. We run regular workshops and activities to educate the community on weed and pest management and control and share a range of resources, to learn more check out the Resources page.
Strategic weed and animal pest control initiatives are well supported by the community provide economic and aesthetic benefits and help to make the Hakataramea Valley a destination to be enjoyed by both locals and visitors.
For more information, contact Natalie Sutton, natalie@hakatarameasc.co.nz.