Twelve environmental projects will be benefiting from Waikato Regional Council’s latest funding round of the Environmental Initiatives Fund (EIF).

The council has granted $372,873.18 to the 12 projects after receiving 38 applications requesting a total of $1.19 million in funds.

Biodiversity team leader Natasha Grainger says the EIF is always well subscribed to, and an increase in the natural heritage targeted rate from 2024/25 has allowed the council to deliver more money to projects via the EIF.

“In comparison, $250,899 was funded in the 2023/24 financial year,” says Grainger.

The successful recipients of the 2024/24 EIF round were:

• $40,000 over two years to Ngāti Hinerangi under Manaaki Kaimai Trust hub umbrella (Matamata-Piako district) to fund field labour for pest animal control and monitoring to restore the western side of the Kaimai-Mamaku ranges
• $25,969.55 over one year to Mokaihaha Kōkako Trust (South Waikato/Rotorua district) to increase the trapping network in the Mokaihaha Ecological Area to further protect kōkako and other native species
• $25,310.85 over two years to Kakepuku Mountain Conservation Society (Waipā district) to replace and upgrade a portion of its trapping network
• $25,477.96 over two years to Habitat Tuateawa Incorporated (Thames-Coromandel district) to purchase trapping materials and support part-time employment to co-ordinate trapping volunteers and operations at New Chums Beach
• $40,000 over two years to Ngāti Tumutumu under Manaaki Kaimai Trust hub umbrella (Matamata-Piako district) to fund practical field labour, including pest plant control and monitoring, as part of the Tumutumu Kaitiaki Taiao project on the western side of Te Aroha Maunga and along the public tracks at Waiorongomai
• $34,544 over two years to The Colville Project Trust (Thames-Coromandel district) to support targeted pest plant control throughout regenerating podocarp-broadleaf forest
• $6000 over two years to Kapowai Kiwi Group Incorporated (Thames-Coromandel district) towards regular servicing and maintenance of a 3000-hectare predator control area that protects Coromandel Brown Kiwi in the Kapowai Valley catchment.
• $32,292 over one year to Rings Beach Wetland Group Incorporated (Thames-Coromandel district) towards the removal of wilding pine on the southwestern slopes of Matarangi Bluff Scenic Reserve
• $40,000 over one year to New Zealand National Fieldays Society Incorporated (Waipā district) towards developing and implementing an environmental education programme in collaboration with local schools, iwi and the community
• $28,794.43 over one year to Te Taiao o Kāwhia Moana Incorporated (Ōtorohanga district) towards setting up a community trap library and trapline, hosting a community trapping workshop, and undertaking targeted pest plant control
• $39,984.39 over two years to Te Moata Charitable Trust (Thames-Coromandel district) towards developing, managing and monitoring of traplines on its property near Tairua, and training predator control volunteers.
• $34,500 over one year to Ka Pihi Ka Pua Charitable Trust (Taupō district) to support pest management activities, including monitoring, baiting and trapping, in the 5489-hectare Lake Rotoaira Forest.

The council’s natural heritage targeted rate also provides revenue to the Natural Heritage Fund (NHF).

The NHF allocation for the 2024/25 financial year is approximately $1.4 million. The applications period for the NHF, which will become a contestable process for the first time this year, is expected to be from mid-October to mid-November.

The council also has a Small Scale Initiatives Fund (SSCIF), which is derived from the uniform annual general charge rate.

For the 2024/25 SSCIF funding round, announced in July this year, grants totalling $138,023.72 were made to 36 projects.

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