Improving farm biodiversity with over 3500 natives planted
The work, in short
- Client: Gilchrist Brothers, Midhurst Farm
- Area: 160ha owned + 240ha leased
- Focus: Waterway enhancement & community planting
- Outcome: 3,500+ natives planted; 1,500 more planned
The Challenge
Burgess Stream runs through Midhurst Farm and had been fenced off for years, providing a good riparian margin and habitat for native fish. The conditions were right - but action kept being postponed.
"It was something that had gone through my mind in the past but was very much on the back-burner - only because we need to prioritise where money gets spent." - Andrew Gilchrist
Beyond the farm itself, Andrew had noticed the rural-urban divide growing - and saw an opportunity for the project to address that too. But he knew they couldn't solve either challenge alone.
Why This Matters
Improving waterway biodiversity on working farms matters for several reasons:
- It delivers measurable ecological outcomes - water quality, native habitat, aquatic fauna
- It creates visible proof that farmers care about the environment
- It helps bridge the rural-urban divide through community involvement
- It builds the case for further funding and investment across the wider scheme
The Approach
A plan built for a farming environment
Terra Centric' developed a waterway enhancement plan tailored to work within an active farming operation. The plan specified plant species suited to the environment and included mahinga kai (food gathering) cultural values.
Terra Centric then helped to secure funding from Environment Canterbury (ECan) to cover more than half the project costs - funding the Gilchrists then strategically redirected.
"We decided that with the seasonality of our business and labour available, we'd spend all the money on plants and use our own time to plant them. So we've ended up planting a considerably larger area than was first envisaged- around five times larger." - Andrew Gilchrist
Terra Centric also enabled the local Swannanoa school to participate - inviting students, parents, and teachers to take part in a series of planting days. In August 2021, the Gilchrists and their staff, alongside 20 students and teachers, planted over 3,500 natives along Burgess Stream. These plants have now reached maturity and in Autumn of 2026, the school successfully harvested seed from these same plants and began growing the next generation of seedlings to eventually be planted elsewhere along the stream.
The Outcome
The planting has created a foundation for a healthier ecosystem along Burgess Stream, with more than 3,500 natives in the ground and 1,500 more earmarked for future seasons.
- Reduced aquatic weed growth and improved water quality through sediment filtering
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Increased riparian shading and organic matter contribution to the soil
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Quality habitat created for aquatic and terrestrial fauna
- Stronger community connection through school and staff involvement
"I think it's fantastic. It's got to be a good thing for the family land and for future generations." - Andrew Gilchrist
Key Takeaways
- Good biodiversity planning fits within the realities of working farms - the right species, the right scale, the right timing
- Funding advocacy can unlock significantly more on-the-ground impact than the original project scope
- Community involvement amplifies the environmental and social value of restoration work
- Starting something - however small - is what earns farmers positive recognition
Want to improve biodiversity on your farm or waterway?
We can help, get in touch.