The promotion of sustainable land management practices by central and regional government and through local community group approaches in New Zealand is summarised in this paper. There are constraints to farm level adoption of new sustainable technologies and management practices in NZ pastoral agriculture. Sustainable systems by definition should be environmentally safe, economically viable and socially and culturally acceptable. The lack of farm profitability, the lack of co-ordination of technology transfer providing information for decision making and the withdrawal of rural services were identified as constraints to the uptake of “sustainable systems". For a period of 3-5 years a family owned farm received community and scientific input on how best to implement management and land use changes that will enhance sustainability. Both scientist and community group members raised their awareness of environmental, economic and social sustainability and the linkages between each aspect.