3 September 2010 Environment Canterbury Commissioners tap into scientific expertise at Lincoln University briefings

Lincoln University was the focus yesterday (2 Sept.) of on-going work by Environment Canterbury’s team of Government appointed Commissioners to “gain knowledge” and “establish the facts” on regional land and water use.

Commissioners  Dame Margaret Bazley (chair),  the Hon. David Caygill, Donald Couch, Peter Skelton and Rex Williams, accompanied by scientists, specialists and representatives from a range of bodies such as Crown Research Institutes, MAF,  Federated Farmers, the South Island Dairying Research Centre, the Waterways Centre  and industry partner groups, spent a day at Lincoln University on their mission. Commissioners David Bedford and Tom Lambie were unable to attend.

Describing the purpose of the visit, Dame Margaret Bazley said,  “We are here to see for ourselves, gain knowledge and establish what the facts are in relation to land use and water use.”

She said it was the first time the Commissioners had visited a university in this way, but they had certainly moved around the region  gathering information.

At Lincoln University the Commissioners visited the lysimeter underground laboratory used in nitrate leaching research, the natural resources engineering laboratory where river research is conducted, they visited the Dairy Research Farm,  heard about the Eco-N  nitrate and nitrous oxide mitigation technology, had a presentation on biodiversity, and were addressed by scientists from AgResearch, Landcare, Plant and Food and Lincoln Ventures Ltd.   The day concluded with an industry discussion session.