EP4: Biodiversity 101 – What is it and why is it important?

This is episode one in a two-part series inspired by a forum we hosted at our demonstration farm in Pukekohe, Auckland. In it, we’ll be exploring why biodiversity matters on farm and the role it plays in pest and disease management.

Links to the full presentations referenced in this episode:

Dr Charles (Merf) Merfield – Why a biodiverse landscape is importantJames Gardiner – Implementing biodiversity projects on NZ farmsDr Brad Howlett – Native plantings that support beneficial insect biodiversityOlivia Prouse – Boosting beneficials using biodiverse planting on vegetable farmsMichael Arnold – “A Lighter Touch,” the LeaderBrand story

Plus, you can download a plant species list from the biodiversity planting in vegetable farms project here.

Looking for more tools, tips, and resources on sustainable agriculture in Aotearoa New Zealand? Visit A Lighter Touch's website, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Linkedin.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The landscape is changing for New Zealand’s plant-based growers, with market access, pest and disease resistance, consumer demand, and regulatory shifts all impacting the way food is grown in Aotearoa.

In the A Lighter Touch podcast, we share knowledge to help Kiwi growers find new tools and solutions to manage pests and diseases in their crops, with a lighter environmental touch.

Join us as we sow the seeds to help growers move from agrichemical reliance to agroecological crop protection – sustainable farming that works with nature.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

• No. of episodes: 7
• Latest episode: 2025-06-12
• Education Science Earth Sciences

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