Guidelines for landowners in peat lake catchments:

current best management practices for farming sustainably to protect the peat lakes 

Abstract

The aim of the Guidelines is to provide landowners farming in peat lake catchments with a range of current ‘Best Management Practices’ (BMPs) to reduce environmental impacts on the region’s peat lakes. The BMPs centre on sustainable land managment and
protecting important natural resources. To provide a context for the BMPs, information on peat lake values with an emphasis on the benefits of the lakes to farms are also included.

The BMPs highlight how to:

• manage the flow of nutrients and sediments from farmed land to the lakes and surrounding wetlands
• minimise further peat shrinkage around the lakes.

Rules drawn from the Regional and District Council Plans which relate to the BMPs are also included.

Guidelines for landowners in peat lake catchments
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Table of contents

1	Introduction	2
1.1	What are peat lakes?	2
1.1.1	Peat lake information	2
1.1.2	Peat facts	2
1.2	Why are the Waikato peat lakes so important?	3
1.2.1	Waikato District peat lakes map	5
1.2.2	Waipa District peat lakes map	6
1.3	Wetlands and farming	7
2	Peat lake management	8
3	The changing landscape	9
4	Farming in peat lake catchments	10
4.1	The effects of farm nutrients on peat lake health	10
4.1.1	Nitrogen (N)	10
4.1.2	Phosphorus (P)	11
4.2	Farm nutrient and sediment hot spots	11
4.2.1	Current BMPs for minimising excess nutrient and sediment loss	12
4.2.2	Other relevant rules	15
4.3	Peat shrinkage	16
4.3.1	How fast does peat shrink?	16
4.3.2	Current BMPs for slowing peat shrinkage	17
5	The future of the peat lakes	18
6	Appendices	19
6.1	Peat lakes of the Waikato district	19
6.2	Peat lakes of the Waipa district	20
6.3	Getting good advice	21