Rai Valley Dairy & Beef Farm
On a 94-hectare beef and dairy farm between the Pelorus Bridge and Rai Valley Township, fences have gone up, dung beetles have been released, and native plants have started to go into the ground. But Hamish and Charlotte O'Donnell say this is only the beginning. "It's a long-term commitment," Hamish said.
This future commitment is displayed on the front porch of their home, where Charlotte is nurturing dozens of flax and kahikatea seedlings to plant when they are mature enough. Hamish said, "Shade for the cows is originally what started all of this, and now I keep wanting to plant more."
Dung beetle release in early 2023
Originally from Canterbury, the couple erected fences when they bought the farm several seasons ago. This was for practical reasons, to keep the herd from getting out. A few years later, Te Hoiere Project came along and accelerated more of the ideas the couple already had in mind for the farm.
The Project has assisted with final areas of fencing on hillsides, the release of dung beetles, and native planting and maintenance in a few areas of the property. All of this work is expected to yield future improvements for freshwater, but the journey hasn't been without challenges from the weather.
During 2022, the Rai River had its biggest flood on record, only a year after they started planting. "The trees held up, but the [biodegradable] guards ended up on the driveway," Charlotte said.
Shown here are flax and kahikatea seedlings; two of three hillside gullies planted with native species; a wetland area where the O'Donnells have planted additional trees alongside seedlings supplied by the Project; and the family's dung beetle release in early 2023
