Council grants to make positive difference

Innovative projects that champion our environment and help to reduce waste to landfill are set to receive more than $900,000 from Auckland Council grant schemes in 2014.

The Environmental Initiatives Fund (EIF) and the Waste Minimisation Innovation Fund (WMIF) have jointly approved 166 projects, with grants ranging from $300 to $50,000.

Under EIF, 132 community projects will receive $619,000 for initiatives such as native planting, pest control and wetland reserve work, as well as historical conservation work.

The EIF projects come from throughout the region and include:
Helensville Railway Station Trust receives $7,130 towards maintenance of the historic building
Tawharanui Open Sanctuary receives $6,382 to help establish a new breeding colony of Australasian gannets
Classic Yacht Charitable Trust receives $6,050 to help preserve the 1894 classic yacht, the 'Waitangi'
Ecological restoration groups in the Whau River catchment receive $15,000 for planting, predator control and litter clean up
Hillpark School receives $10,000 for a world class edible garden, orchard, bush development and traditional Maori medicinal garden.

Meanwhile, WMIF will fund 34 community groups, iwi and Maori groups, educational institutions and businesses to seed new ideas and promote projects for reducing waste to landfill.

Among the projects: $22,400 for a new waste management system at University of Auckland’s Epsom campus; $14,400 to run a feasibility study to look at recycling in Devonport; and $12,250 for a project to expand composting in the nursery and planned food forest at Ihumatao Marae, in Mangere.

The largest WMIF grant of $50,000 awarded to Atlas Concrete will support their initiative to remove the dry fines from concrete slurry from the waste stream. Instead the material, which is largely lime-based, will be blended with sand for use as pasture fertiliser.

“Preserving, protecting and enhancing Auckland's natural surroundings and valuable cultural heritage for current and future generations to enjoy is an important focus for the council,” says Chair of the Environment, Climate Change and Natural Heritage Committee Councillor Wayne Walker.

“We also place a high priority on our responsibility for supporting innovation, to ensure we reduce waste to landfill as much as we can, and instead treat waste as a resource. The savings in waste translate directly into reductions in carbon emissions and financial savings.

“These two funds support all of the work by communities and individuals to make a positive difference around the Auckland region.”

The EIF runs one funding round per year, the next one opening in August (grants up to $15,000). The WMIF is open for two funding rounds starting in April (grants under $5,000 only) and then in October (grants up to $50,000).

Ends

© Scoop Media