10 October 2025
Mangaroa station is showing how good land management and erosion control plans can pay off for both the environment and farming.
The station was planted extensively in the 1960s and 1970s under several Soil and Water Conservation Plans. Even after major weather events such as Cyclone Bola and Cyclone Gabrielle, the property held up better than many others in the region.
The approach to the farmland combines extensive farming with strategic gully and slope planting, natural reversion to native bush and careful management of steep slopes. The landowners have focused on planting at the toes of gullies, stabilising waterways, active slopes and protecting existing vegetation where it provides natural erosion control.
Steeper gullies have been left to revert naturally, while poplar and willow poles are planted on mid and lower slopes. The farm is managed with lower stock numbers which takes pressure off fragile soils and helps stabilise the land over time.
From this experience, Mangaroa shows that the recipe for success is simple - start early, focus on strategic areas each year and farm to the land’s natural strengths. Trees such as poplars and willows not only hold the land together but also provide shade, shelter and extra feed for animals during drought.
The current owners, the Reeves family, say that managing Mangaroa means adapting to the plantings as well as the land.
“We carefully manage the large paddocks that have areas of close planting. We shear early to minimise fly problems, and ongoing checking for fly incursions is essential,” said Peter Reeves.
“Mustering requires extra labour due to the increased cover available to all classes of stock.”
They say these steps are crucial to keep the stock healthy and to protect the gains made through decades of planting.
Graeme Williams, whose family previously owned Mangaroa Station, said the benefits of early planting are still clear today.
“Everyone needs to get in and do it. Planting and protecting the gullies has been one of the best things we ever did and you can see that it’s paying off.”
“We’ve always farmed to the land, not against it. By working with the natural topography of the land, the farm stays productive and the land holds together.”
This shows how decades of careful management and planting can make a real difference for both the land and farming.
Council’s sustainable land use programme is a key part of supporting this kind of work across Tairāwhiti. Through the programme, landowners can see what support is available, learn about the work Council is doing and access practical tools to help them plan for more sustainable land use in the future.
For more information on Council’s sustainable land use programme, visit Sustainable land use | Gisborne District Council.