ARC announces latest EIF grant recipients

The Auckland Regional Council has awarded environmental grants of $117,479 to fund community work. The ARC received the highest number of applications since the establishment of the Environmental Initiatives Fund (EIF) four years ago. Out of 62 applications 41 were successful in receiving an environmental grant.

Practical projects were supported to proactive community volunteers for native plants, fencing materials, native tree labels, stoat traps, rat bait, compost, and weed control materials in the latest EIF allocations.

The purpose of the EIF is to encourage and empower communities to care for their local environment. “The ARC’s Environmental Initiatives Fund is one way in which we can assist community groups and individuals to achieve their environmental goals,” said ARC chairwoman Gwen Bull. “We are committed to increasing the involvement of our communities in caring for our shared environment”.

Practical projects that enhance, restore and protect aspects of Auckland’s natural, cultural and physical environment are supported by the fund. 226 environmental projects around the region have been assisted to date through EIF funding.

The next funding round will occur in February 2005. Funding applications and guidelines can be obtained from early January 2005 by downloading the forms from the ARC website www.arc.govt.nz or phoning the ARC on 366 2000.

Please find attached a list of all the successful EIF recipients for the latest round.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>