Field Visit - NZ Style

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to join Landcare Research colleagues James and Suzie and drive around the Hurunui and Waiau catchment that I am modeling for work. It was a great experience, as not only did I get to verify that the data that I have is correct (mostly correct, that is), but I also got a detailed look at farming and livestock practices in New Zealand. It's a bit different than the US, as almost all dairy, beef, and sheep operations are pastoral grazing (not many feedlots here), and most of the irrigation goes to pasture and not crops. Here are some photos from the field visit. Note the diversity in landscape across the catchment, as it ranges from flat plains to very hilly terrain.



Additionally, here is a map where all of the photos were taken within the catchment.