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2021 Smarter Targeting of Erosion Control (STEC) News

  1. Erosion source attributes and their impact on sediment-related water quality

    Accelerated erosion of fine sediment and its delivery to river channels pose a significant issue for water quality and aquatic ecology in New Zealand waterways and coastal environments.

  2. LiDAR improves modelling of shallow landslide susceptibility for smarter targeting of erosion control

    MWLR is continuing research to develop and apply quantitative approaches for determining shallow landslide susceptibility within the Smarter Targeting of Erosion Control (STEC) MBIE research programme. This work focuses on large rainfall events that trigger shallow landslides in New Zealand’s hill c...

  3. Poor comparability of turbidity sensors used in erosion-sediment management and water quality

    Fine sediment is a major contaminant of aquatic ecosystems. The environmental behaviour of fine sediment depends on properties of the particles as well as mass concentrations. These properties include particle shape and composition and are referred to in the STEC programme as ‘sediment quality’ or m...

  4. Valuing the effect of soil erosion on productivity

    To create efficient erosion control policies, it is important that the cost of implementing an erosion control measure justifies the benefits. While costs are typically straightforward to measure, the benefits include fewer tangible things like avoided impacts on farm incomes, impacts on the natural...

  5. Sediment bottom lines: how do we get there, and can we get there?

    Manaaki Whenua is leading research to understand the performance and effectiveness of erosion and sediment control (ESC) practices within the Smarter Targeting of Erosion Control (STEC) MBIE programme. Understanding the effectiveness of ESC mitigation is crucial for those land managers who are tryin...

  6. SlideforMap and New Zealand fieldwork: a summary

    The STEC programme is collaborating with several European researchers. Our Swiss colleague Massi Schwarz has been working with us for many years investigating how roots reinforce soils, and how this knowledge can be scaled up from root to tree to forest via modelling to support improved management o...

  7. Improving our understanding of New Zealand’s largest landslides

    In addition to improving the targeting of erosion control practices, the STEC programme is also supporting the training of New Zealand’s next generation of environmental scientists. In partnership with Massey University, the STEC programme is supporting several PhD students whose work is directly be...