David and Karen Peat –  Waitotara – 2019 Environmental Award Winners

For environmental stewardship, sustainable land management and native habitat restoration.

David and Karen Peat have been tackling soil erosion for 25 years on Mangapapa Station, their 3,500-hectare sheep and beef farm in the Waitotara Valley. The property includes 1,400 hectares of virgin and regenerating bush, and 30 hectares of wetlands. They grow and plant 500 to 1000 poplar and willow poles a year to stabilise slumps and protect stream gullies. This prevents erosion of grazing land and reduces fence and track maintenance. They have planted 7,850 poles in the past 17 years under their TRC farm plan.  Six of the property’s 21 regionally significant wetlands are protected by QEII covenants and four kilometres of fencing. They’re important habitat for nationally threatened species including weweia (dabchick), North Island fernbird and pūweto (spotless crake). David has planted 10,000 native plants around the wetlands and controls predators.

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