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Land |
LandLand is a fundamental resource for agriculture and horticulture. The capacity and quality of the land needs to be managed to enable its continued use for productive purposes. This is dependent on a range of physical, chemical and biological processes and attributes that interact together. While these processes are listed separately in the framework the interactions between them should also be considered.Use of land is managed under the Resource Management Act 1991 with responsibilities being managed by both District and Regional Councils. Issues relating to soil conservation, discharges to land (includes use of fertiliser), and contaminated land are Regional Council responsibilities. District Council responsibilities cover activities that can be undertaken on the land, including farming, forestry and subdivision. A number of tools have been developed as indicators and for monitoring soil quality, and these are idenitifed in the Framework. General background on issues etc re Land - EMS, SMS Risk Areas/IssuesLand General
Physical - IssuesKey risks to the physical quality of land include the potential for erosion and damage to the soil structure through such processes as land compaction. The land is sometimes used for on – farm waste disposal and the long term effects of this use need to be carefully managed.
ChemicalChemical processes of importance are nutrient levels and inputs to ensure a balance in the chemical structure of the soil to promote plant growth and animal health. A key risk area is the potential for soil contamination.
Biological - IssuesBiological processes included in the land management section include weed and pest management and biosecurity – that is maintaining the resource in a state that is free from invasive species which could negatively impact on the use of the land for productive purposes.
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