Bioprotection science for New Zealand
ES in practice at a farm level: Investing in natural capital to build
ecological infrastructure
Steve Wratten, FRSNZ
Bio-Protection Research Centre
Lincoln University
9 August 2011
UN Report, March 2011
‘Eco-farming can double food production in 10 years’.
Where is NZ in terms of an agro-ecological approach?
Even as a single hair casts a shadow does a weed steal
profit from the harvest
‘I am a photosynthesis manager and an ecosystem-service provider’.
Peter Edlin, Swedish farmer
Returning the right kind of diversity
Light brown apple moth Epiphyas damage
Proportion of bunches infested with leafrollers. Economic threshold for leafrollers shown
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
Buckwheat Control
Treatment
Pro
po
rtio
n o
f b
un
ches
Buckwheat
Control
Economic threshold
Variable costs ↓ $250/ha/year
Percentage of bunches infected with B. cinerea at harvest
A
AB
B B B
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Control Mulched grass Composted marc Fermented marc Shredded paper
Mulch treatments
B. c
iner
ea le
vels
(% b
unch
es in
fect
ed)
Economic threshold
Harvest 2005/2006 average, Marlborough
Variable costs ↓ $750/ha/year
Host population reduced• e.g., hoverflies reduce aphid population
when Phacelia planted next to wheat
Hickman & Wratten 1996
But who cares about ES and who pays for it (PES)?
The landowner?
•Variable costs ↓
•Marketing / sales ↑
•Concepts of sustainabilitye.g. kaitiakitanga
The discriminating market?
“…One day, and I believe that day is not too far away, the market will sayno residues. No residues!” Stuart SmithChair, New Zealand Winegrowers New Zealand Winegrower Magazine, October 2007
The punter?: agro-ecotourism?
Greening Waipara
Before September 2005
0 2.5km
00000Number of plants planted to date
Cass ViewMt Cass
Muddy Water
The Mud House
September 2005
0 2.5km
00350006250097501225Number of plants planted to date
Cass ViewMt Cass
Muddy Water
The Mud House
Waipara SchoolRailway Station
Dickson VineyardTerrace Edge
Torlesse Wines
Greystone
Fancrest EstateDaniel Schuster Wines
Waipara Springs
Ball Estate
MacKenzie Farm
May 2006
Waiata Estate
Williams Hill VineyardCabal Properties
Omihi Creek Cassis
0 2.5km
0192502375027750312503375086750895009300097251007510625108751117511675Number of plants planted to date
Cass ViewMt Cass
Muddy Water
The Mud House
Waipara SchoolRailway Station
Dickson VineyardTerrace Edge
Torlesse Wines
Greystone
Fancrest EstateDaniel Schuster Wines
Waipara Springs
Ball Estate
MacKenzie Farm
Waipara Downs
Dunstaffnage
The Mound
Waiata EstateCamshorn
The Old VicarageDallington Downs
Frog Rock
MountfordWilliams Hill VineyardCabal Properties
Dancing Water
Ben and Viv Kepes
Weka River Vineyard
McKenzie Vineyard
April 2007
Three Sisters
Brent Knight
Omihi Creek Cassis
Pegasus Bay
0 2.5km
Waipara River Estate
131751340013650139251452014820151451544515695Number of plants planted to date
Cass ViewMt Cass
Muddy Water
The Mud House
Waipara SchoolRailway Station
Dickson VineyardTerrace Edge
Torlesse Wines
Greystone
Fancrest EstateDaniel Schuster Wines
Waipara Springs
Ball Estate
MacKenzie Farm
Waipara Downs
Dunstaffnage
The Mound
Waiata EstateCamshorn
The Old VicarageDallington Downs
Frog Rock
MountfordWilliams Hill VineyardCabal Properties
Dancing Water
Ben and Viv Kepes
Weka River Vineyard
McKenzie Vineyard
July 2008
Three Sisters
Brent Knight
Omihi Creek Cassis
Pegasus Bay
0 2.5km
Waipara River Estate
15695Number of plants planted to date 16095
Claremont Luxury Estate
Concorde Vineyard
Glenview FarrmPimlico Vineyard
Waipara Gardens
Harris Wine and Food
Graeme Allen Vineyard
166951709517495178951829518695
Cass ViewMt Cass
Muddy Water
The Mud House
Waipara SchoolRailway Station
Dickson VineyardTerrace Edge
Torlesse Wines
Greystone
Fancrest EstateDaniel Schuster Wines
Waipara Springs
Ball Estate
MacKenzie Farm
Waipara Downs
Dunstaffnage
The Mound
Waiata EstateCamshorn
The Old VicarageDallington Downs
Frog Rock
MountfordWilliams Hill Vineyard
Dancing Water
Ben and Viv Kepes
Weka River Vineyard
McKenzie Vineyard
May 2009
Three Sisters
Brent Knight
Omihi Creek Cassis
Pegasus Bay
0 2.5km
Waipara River Estate
Number of plants planted to date
Claremont Luxury Estate
Concorde Vineyard
Glenview FarrmPimlico Vineyard
Waipara Gardens
Harris Wine and Food
Graeme Allen Vineyard
1869523715
Elrick Vineyard
20045202742054120791
Wedge Farm
21061212612155621956222872251122691
One Stop Turbo Shop
22857
Mairehau Vineyard
23146
Waipara Junction Garage
Cabal Properties
23562
Cass ViewMt Cass
Muddy Water
The Mud House
Waipara SchoolRailway Station
Dickson VineyardTerrace Edge
Torlesse Wines
Greystone
Fancrest EstateDaniel Schuster Wines
Waipara Springs
Ball Estate
MacKenzie Farm
Waipara Downs
Dunstaffnage
The Mound
Waiata EstateCamshorn
The Old VicarageDallington Downs
Frog Rock
MountfordWilliams Hill VineyardCabal Properties
Dancing Water
Ben and Viv Kepes
Weka River Vineyard
McKenzie Vineyard
May 2009
Three Sisters
Brent Knight
Omihi Creek Cassis
Pegasus Bay
0 2.5km
Waipara River Estate
Claremont Luxury Estate
Concorde Vineyard
Glenview FarrmPimlico Vineyard
Waipara Gardens
Harris Wine and Food
Graeme Allen Vineyard
Biodiversity Trails
Elrick Vineyard Wedge Farm
One Stop Turbo Shop
Mairehau Vineyard
Waipara Junction Garage
The State?
PES Scheme Location Ecosystem Services Provided
National PES Programme Costa Rica Functioning watersheds, carbon sequestration, landscape beauty.
Rewarding the Upland Poor for the Environmental Services they provide (RUPES)
The Philippines, Indonesia and Nepal
Functioning watersheds
The Chinese Sloping Lands Conversion Programme (SLCP)
Yangtze and Yellow Rivers regions, China
Reduced flood risk
Madhya Pradesh Lake Conservation Authority
India Water quality improvement, organic agriculture support
Pro-Poor Rewards for Environmental Services in Africa -PRESA
Kenya and Tanzania Watershed function, carbon capture, water quality improvement
Agri-environmental measures European Union Environmentally favourable extensification of farming, management of low-intensity pasture systems, integrated farm management and organic agriculture, preservation of landscape and historical features, conservation of high-value habitats and their associated biodiversity
The US Conservation Reserve Program USA Soil erosion reduction, water quality improvement and wildlife habitat enhancement
CFEES Denmark Biological control of pests, N regulation, soil formation, carbon accumulation, hydrological flow, pollination, aesthetics
‘In war, truth is the first casualty’. Aeschylus said that.
‘In a recession, the environment is the first casualty’. I said that.
So, what can NZ do?
UN report again:
‘…agro-ecology is still insufficiently backed by ambitious public policies and consequently hardly goes beyond the experimental stage’
UN Report again:
‘ Agro-ecology is knowledge-based. It requires public policies supporting it – and participitative extension’.
FRST Terminating Contract Review
The NZ solution?
Policy based on the need for agro-ecology supported by ‘runs on the board’ with landowner engagement.
Bio-Protection Research CentrePO Box 84Lincoln UniversityLincoln 7647, New ZealandP + 64 3 325 3696 F + 64 3 325 3864 www.bioprotection.org.nz
Bioprotection science for New Zealand
ES in practice at a farm level:Investing in natural capital to build
ecological infrastructure
Steve Wratten FRSNZBio-Protection Research Centre
Lincoln University