| 55 Ballance Farm Environment Awards » South Ponui Island Farm Everything has to be planned well ahead Russell Fredric Environmental projects, conservation work and sustainable farming practices have earned South Ponui Island Farm recognition as a finalist in the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Family owned, and leased by David and Di Chamberlin, the farm is located 30km east of Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf. It runs a mixed sheep and cattle operation on 587 hectares across rolling country, with significant areas of native bush, wetlands and steeper terrain forming part of the property. Farming on Ponui Island presents challenges that mainland farms do not face and requires careful planning, particularly when it comes to logistics and stock movements to and from the mainland, David says. “We run our own boats and barge, and we also have a property on the mainland where we bring stock in and out from. It adds cost and time, so everything has to be planned well ahead.” The farm runs 1000 Romney sheep alongside trading cattle, buying weaner calves and growing them out rather than running a heavy finishing system. That approach is partly driven by the island’s soils and climate conditions. “We farm to what the land can handle rather than trying to push it too hard. The island is summer dry and the soils are heavy clay, so heavy cattle for long periods can damage the land.” Environmental work has been a major focus in recent years and formed a key part of the Ballance Awards entry. One of the largest projects has been fencing off a large block of native bush and wetland to protect biodiversity and waterways. Waterways and smaller valleys have also been fenced and planted in native species, and the farm operates its own nursery to grow plants used for restoration projects around the property. At the heart of the native regeneration programme is an on-site nursery that produces around 8,000 native plants annually from locally sourced seed, with about 3,500 planted on the island each year. In a creative approach to land management, a resident population of donkeys is used to naturally control weeds. The farm runs 1000 Romney sheep alongside trading cattle, buying weaner calves and growing them out. Kiwi conservation has also been part of the island’s environmental work for decades, with birds first introduced to Ponui Island in the 1960s in an initiative between David’s father Peter and the then New Zealand Wildlife Service. “We’ve had kiwi research happening here for about 20 years now, and we’re also involved with translocating birds to other islands like Waiheke. It’s all part of protecting and growing the population.” Alongside farming and environmental work, the island hosts a long-running Christian camp that brings around 2,000 visitors each year, many of them school groups from Auckland. Students often get hands-on experience with farming activities such as shearing, wool handling, fencing and stock work, giving many their first exposure to life on a working farm. Looking ahead, the farm is being placed into a family trust with objectives that include protecting the environment, maintaining the farming operation and preserving the family’s long connection to the island. “The trust is about making sure the island is looked after properly, both environmentally and financially, and that the family can still be connected to the place in the future.” The Chamberlin family has farmed on Ponui Island since 1853, with David representing the fifth Proudly suppor�ng David Chamberlin, South Ponui Island farm for healthier stock, resistant to worms & facial eczema 3285 Ohura Road, R.D.1, Ohura 3980 Jus�n 027 656 8782 www.fernleaframs.co.nz Suppliers of Farm Merchandise locally since 1985 0274 957 868 TONY WHITE • ENTRANCES • RETAINING WALLS - POLE BARNS • EQUESTRIAN • FARM FENCING • ENVIRONMENTAL • HORTICULTURAL STRUCTURES Certified Fencing Contractor No. 702 “Rural Fencing Specialists” www.whitefencing.co.nz admin@whitefencing.co.nz White Fencing generation involved in farming the land, continuing a long history of farming alongside conservation and environmental stewardship. “We’re really just trying to leave the place in better condition than when we took it over, and make sure it’s looked after for the next generation.”
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