Highlights
A variable rate irrigation system can shut off water as it passes over a farm track.
EcoGene®
EcoGene® provides DNA diagnostic services for conservation, biosecurity, food safety, illegal trade and Resource Management Act applications for New Zealand and overseas organisations. Over the past four years, EcoGene has significantly expanded its client base from conservation and biosecurity agencies (DOC and MPI) to include industry (e.g. ZESPRI, Fonterra, Solid Energy).
New services available this year include genotyping of pateke (the endangered indigenous brown teal) to assist DOC’s recovery programme; and testing for resistance to existing rodenticides in rats. A new ultra-sensitive test detects whether pig DNA is present or not in food. This service is of value to New Zealand food exporters wanting to verify or disprove less-reliable overseas tests indicating product contamination.
Screening for chytrid fungus, a pathogen responsible for the decline of frogs globally, continues to be a significant revenue source for EcoGene with clients in New Zealand and Australia. Our test capability in this area was upgraded this year enabling us to more effectively service the increasing number of Australian clients.
EcoGene contributes to Outcomes 1 and 4.
Enviro-Mark ®
This year, we launched a new website and developed a fresh bold look for the Enviro-Mark ®programme. These have been very well received by the 180 member companies, who have been quick to use the new certification marks on product labels, packaging and marketing materials. The new website features a ‘members only’ area that provides ready access to programme checklists, guidance notes and resource materials.
OfficeMax has the largest multi-site membership, with Mighty River Power (Generation) the next biggest. The Toyota New Zealand dealer network, which has 32 dealerships across 66 sites, continued to make excellent progress during 2011/12 with all dealerships achieving Bronze and Silver certifi.cation, and many are now working towards achieving Gold.
During the year, we ran six ‘Introduction to Internal Auditing’ workshops; three ‘Get the Green Advantage’ (member only) seminars; and 20 workshops covering all five levels of the programme. The quarterly e-newsletter has a circulation of about 1300.
Enviro-Mark contributes to Outcome 4.
EBEX21®
Our Emissions-Biodiversity Exchange (EBEX21) programme sold 8450 AAUs (assigned amount units of carbon) on behalf of landowners during 2011/12. The majority of these units were purchased by carboNZeroCertTM customers. We have been working with two landowners to implement the Field Measurement Approach (FMA), which is a mandatory on-site measurement of carbon stocks using MPI-specified field methodology.
EBEX contributes to Outcomes 1 and 4.
Precision irrigation technology
Sensor mapping provides high resolution (<10 m) quanti.cation of paddock-scale soil variability, which enables soil management zones to be assigned for varying irrigation scheduling under one irrigation system. With support from MPI and in partnership with industry, Massey University’s Centre for Precision Agriculture, Foundation for Arable Research and DairyNZ, we are developing and refining variable rate irrigation (VRI) technologies.
One of our partners, Precision Irrigation – Lindsay Corporation, has modi.ed sprinkler systems so that individual sprinklers can be programmed to switch on and off, thus enabling VRI to be matched to the soil management zones.
Our prototype web-enabled wireless soil moisture sensor networks (WSNs) continuously monitor soil moisture within each zone under the irrigator. The WSNs use mesh networking technology to transmit data along the most efficient pathway between nodes to a base station. If one node fails, the other nodes simply re-route along any other available pathway. The soil moisture data can be accessed remotely and used to assist variable placement and timing of irrigation to soil management zones. The ultimate goal is complete automation of the VRI system using real-time soil moisture monitoring of soil zones.
Three 2-year-long trials (supported by HydroServices, Streats Instruments and Waterforce) achieved up to 36% water savings with no negative impact on yield and a current return on investment for the farmers estimated to be between 1 and 5 years. Water saved at the Fairlie dairy farm was diverted to otherwise unirrigated parts of the farm to increase pasture production. This enabled the cost of converting three systems to VRI to be paid back within one year. On the Manawatu Sand Country arable farm, a 36% water saving resulted from large areas under the pivot requiring no irrigation at all because of well-distributed rainfall over the season. The VRI system on an Ashburton arable farm, where soils vary from very stony to silt loams under one irrigator, achieved 20% water saving in both years. These trials highlight what can be achieved by partnering new ideas with industry.
This work contributes to Outcome 2.
Pest control products
Two new products were licensed to Connovation: (1) a new type of stoat bait, which is now being scaled-up to commercial production for use with their existing toxins; and (2) chewcards, which are a low-cost means of detecting vertebrate pests. When filled with peanut butter, the cards appeal to many species, each of which leaves distinctive chew marks. The cards are highly cost effective for identifying which pests are present and for indexing population numbers before and after control operations. They are used by AHB, conservation groups, Landcare Trust, DOC and regional councils.
These technologies contribute to Outcomes 1 and 4.
Sirtrack
In November 2011, Landcare Research sold its Havelock North-based wildlife tracking subsidiary Sirtrack to Lotek Wireless Inc. All staff transferred to the new owner. Lotek is a long-established, innovative business committed to growing its market share. The two companies have complementary technologies, which is exciting for Sirtrack’s future product development and market presence. Land and buildings were purchased by a New Zealand investor.
The carboNZero programme
The carboNZeroCertTM programme, established by Landcare Research in 2001, provides organisations with an internationally-recognised certification process (CEMARS®) for measuring and managing their carbon (greenhouse gas) footprints. The programme also provides a carboNZero certification option for offsetting the emissions that cannot be reduced. In New Zealand, 138 organisations use these services and hence the programme contributes significantly to the achievement of our fourth National Outcome.
Membership by Ricoh in New Zealand has led to their Australian operations also joining. Through our partner Achilles in the UK, carboNZero’s CEMARS certification scheme has clients that include the Environment Agency, the Scottish Parliament, Volvo and a number of major utilities. Membership is also increasing in Chile and Australia.
The carboNZero programme became a wholly owned subsidiary, carboNZero Holdings, on 1st July 2011. The 2011/12 year has been a challenging one with significant investment in overseas growth not matched by growth in membership. This reflects the tough financial conditions experienced by many businesses. Changes have been made to the programme strategy, which now highlights the need for an investment partner that brings experience of global certification and carbon markets. Finding such an investor is a target for 2012/13.
The carboNZero programme contributes to Outcomes 3 and 4.