Saving The Land

As their contribution to Conservation Week, members of the Gisborne District Venturers spent time building debris dams on part of Kaiti Hill. These dams are built with wood poles, manuka brush and wire netting. They are placed at suitable intervals across gullies which are being gouged out by erosion. The narrow force of water is then spread over a wider area where it loses its power and drops its spoil. The spoil then settles in the brush, consolidates, builds up and halts the erosion.

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Murray Friar, John Ford, Philip Friar, Allan Hughes, chief soil conservation officer Grant McKee, and Dave Hughes ready to start on the construction of a dam.

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The first pole is placed across a suitable gully spot.

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The site of a dam which has served its purpose. Note the small rocks which have been held from washing away.