Stream protection
Streams and rivers provide habitat for plants, invertebrates, fish and wildlife. You may think there is not much life in your stream but take a spotlight and pay a night visit. Maybe use a scoop or net to get a closer look. You may be surprised at what you find, especially if the stream links to the sea.
In the past, streams were often regarded as an easy source of water for stock, and the consequences of eroding stream banks and degraded water quality were largely ignored. Today, most farmers realise that sustainable farming involves good environmental management. Allowing water to leave the property with an increased bacterial count, making it unsafe for drinking and swimming downstream, is not good farming practice.
Also, managing waterways makes practical sense in terms of reducing soil loss from eroding banks, preventing stock losses in waterways and improving the value of the stream for native wildlife, especially when the stream is fenced and planted.