Healthy soils

Soils are a fundamental part of all land-based ecosystems and are vital to primary production and the economic wellbeing of Waitaha/Canterbury and Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Drivers for change

Central government direction on highly productive land requires us to look again at the way we ensure land use is well matched to what it is best suited for, and that the best soils don’t disappear under subdivisions or industrial developments, for example.

We also need to understand how land and soil is used has an influence on water health and air quality. Soil could have an important role as a carbon store to reduce the impacts of climate change.

What we heard

• Good healthy soil should be used for growing food. Zone less productive land for development.
• We need better management of forestry in the hill country.
• Solar on homes and businesses would be better than large-scale farms.
• Keep soils healthy by avoiding disturbing the soil structure and planting a 'green manure' between crops.

What we can influence

• We must map productive land and create policies that support appropriate land use that maximises the potential of highly productive land.
• We can incentivise effective land-use planning to reduce future risk and improve outcomes.
• We can recognise and plan for how soil can best be used as a carbon store, reducing the quantity of greenhouse gases in the air.