Locals Backing Locals: Where Farming, Environment and Community Connect

Over the past eight years, Tom and Anna Tennent have reshaped parts of their Ashley Clinton farm, planting around 20,000 native trees and plants and fencing 9 kilometres of waterways. What began as a single wetland project has evolved into a practical, long-term approach that strengthens both the farm and its surrounding environment.

“We started out fencing and planting a wetland we created with some help from the Game Bird Habitat Trust,” says Tom. “It looked great, we could see the benefits, so we decided to keep going.”

From there, planting expanded along waterways, building momentum year by year. That momentum stepped up again when the Tukipo Catchment Care Group secured $2.2 million through the Ministry for the Environment’s Freshwater Improvement Fund.

Through the wider catchment programme, the Tennents accessed matched funding, extending their work by a further 5 kilometres of fencing and establishing around 13,000 native plants. “It made a big difference to what we could get done,” says Tom. “The worry now is what happens next, because there are plenty of farmers keen to do more, but it’s hard to keep that momentum going without a bit of support.”

With 16 hectares of waterways and wetlands now protected with 7-wire fencing and 13 hectares established in natives, Tom says the work has changed how parts of the farm function day to day. “We have fenced off areas that used to be a real headache with boggy ground where stock would get stuck. Those same places are now some of the best parts of the farm. They provide shelter and habitat, and they just work better for everything we’re trying to do.”

As the project scaled up, so did the need for extra hands. Tom approached Takapau-based family business Kintail Honey to see if they could help get plants in the ground. Damien Ward of Kintail says the timing worked well during a quieter period. “It was our downtime, and we were more than happy to help. We had eight to ten workers helping for a couple of weeks over two winters.” The team planted thousands of natives, laid weed mats, installed plant guards and matched species carefully to site conditions. “Bees like trees, and we were happy to get plants in the ground for the bees,” Damien says.

The connection took an unexpected turn when Tom paid Kintail Honey’s $14,000 invoice for the work and the company chose to donate the full amount to the Takapau Health Centre. “The health centre had a big fundraising push underway, so it felt like a good way to contribute,” Damien says.

It is a clear example of locals backing locals. A farm-based environmental project supported by a local business, with that effort then redirected into a community facility. What started as a wetland has become something wider, a reminder that when farmers, businesses and communities pull in the same direction, the impact reaches well beyond the farm gate.