Two such groups, formed in the early 1990s, were based around the Westview and Gwavas farms in the southern North Island. The differing points of view were considered essential to identify the issues and concerns of the wider community and to develop acceptable solutions. Sustainability is complex, with the issues invariably linked. Many current land management practices are sustainable where appropriately applied and when correctly implemented. The wider community has opinions about how land should be managed and these need to be considered.
Sustainability is about communities as well as individual enterprises.
Land managers need to become actively involved in the community debate on sustainable land management. It is possible to design farming enterprises that are both profitable and environmentally sustainable. Similar themes have emerged from other studies of sustainability in rural communities. While the economic and social perspectives on sustainability are important to everyone, the environmental consequences of land use are high on the agenda of many national and international agencies and inter-government agreements. Soil Quality Accelerated erosion, sediment run-off, soil compaction and pugging and nutrient all contribute to this issue.