Environmental fund gives nearly $1 million
MEDIA RELEASE
Environmental fund gives nearly $1 million
For immediate release: Wednesday 3 December 2003
An underwater harbour cleanup, work to protect native orchids and an East Cape recycling centre are three of nearly $1 million worth of projects to receive money from Environment Bay of Plenty’s Environmental Enhancement Fund this year.
Environment Bay of Plenty has announced it will give just over $900,000 to 33 community and 13 district council projects in the region.
While most of the funding will support new initiatives, some of it will be used to extend current schemes. They include an animal pest programme at Lake Tarawera, now in its fourth year, and ongoing work at The Elms homestead in Tauranga.
A school, environmental groups, and marae are also on the list for funding this year. District council projects mostly focus on pest plant and animal control work.
Chairman John Cronin says the fund reflects the regional council’s mission statement, “working with our communities for a better environment”. “We are always trying to encourage people to actively care for the environment – and this is an important way we can support their work,” he explains.
Mr Cronin says the diversity of the funded projects reflects the environmental aspirations of the region’s population. He says over the years the fund has supported many good projects and those involved are proud of what they are achieving for the environment. But it has also benefited the community in other ways, he adds, with people gaining in both knowledge and skill because of it.
When community groups launch into a project, they often go through a major process of upskilling, he says. “It’s a steep learning curve for a while.” They may have to prepare a site for planting, monitor water quality, or publish a booklet.
“Often, especially on land management projects, volunteers carry out much of the work. As they will tell you, it can be quite a large commitment. And it can be a little daunting at first, which is why we assign a staff member to every project. They are there to offer guidance and advice and to help keep things on track.“
Since it started four years ago, the fund has allocated more than $4 million to nearly 200 community and district council projects.
This year’s allocations are as follows:
Community Projects
Katikati
Primary School - construct a shade house and enhance the
gully at Katikati Primary School, $2,787;
Progress
Ngongotaha - Kokiri Ngongotaha Inc - extend the existing
restoration project on the Ngongotaha Stream (stage 4),
$60,000;
Whakatane and District Historical Society
Inc - develop an inventory of historic places within the
Whakatane township, $19,950;
Aquatek Limited -
implement regular clean-ups in Tauranga Harbour and raise
public awareness about pollution in the marine environment,
$8,037;
Department of Conservation - service mustelid
trap lines within the Ohope Reserve to protect the North
Island Brown Kiwi (stage 3), $33,860;
Athenree Homestead
Trust Inc - carry out pest plant control and provide access
to the woodland area of the Athenree Homestead gardens,
$720;
Norske Skog - restore 2.7 hectares on a meander
loop of the Tarawera River (stage 2), $18,750;
Department of Conservation - control rats and possums in
the newly-established core area at Ohane, northern Te
Urewera National Park (stage 2), $41,440;
Royal Forest
and Bird Protection Society; Eastern BOP - continue the
stoat trapping project in the Te Urewera National Park (year
4), $35,375
Graeme and Jude Lewer - restore and enhance
the wetland and surrounding native bush at the Whakatane
Cemetery, $3,195;
Sustainable Business Network Bay of
Plenty - hold seminars, workshops and educational forums for
businesses in the Bay of Plenty region to improve
sustainable business practices.
$2,300; Implement a
single pilot training scheme for Bay of Plenty businesses to
develop Triple Bottom Line reporting mechanisms and
practices, $2,000;
Rotorua-Ngongotaha Rail Trust -
undertake planting surrounding a constructed wetland in
Ngongotaha and develop interpretation panels explaining
wetland processes and functions, $8,550;
Opotiki and
District 10,000 Club - erect two heritage interpretation
panels (at Taraitu Pa site and Opotiki wharf) and update the
Opotiki library historic photo display, $5,725;
Taneatua
School - fence and restore a wetland at Taneatua School,
$2,030;
Rotorua Botanical Society - undertake pest plant
control and develop interpretation panels at Tikitapu
Reserve, Lake Okareka, $6,581;
New Zealand Historic
Places Trust - analyse excavated material from a recent
archaeological investigation and develop a public education
programme on prehistoric settlement on the Papamoa dune
plain, $21,525;
Te Puke Fish and Game Club - continue to
control animal pests in the Kaituna Wildlife Management
Reserve (stage 3), $7,911;
NZ Archaeological Association
- complete assessing and upgrading the Bay of Plenty file of
archaeological sites (stage 2), $15,000;
Environmental
Education for Resource Sustainability Trust - promote the
removal of paper and cardboard for recycling in schools
through the "Paper for Trees" programme (year 3),
$7,868;
Opotiki Community Theatre Trust - complete the
foyer/entrance heritage restoration at the De Luxe Theatre,
Opotiki, $4,500;
Lake Tarawera Pest Control - continue
and extend the animal pest programme around the settlement
area of Lake Tarawera to include Kariri Point (stage 4),
$15,053;
Te Kuku o te Manawa Maori Reservation - enhance
natural character and facilitate public understanding of a
Maori Reservation at Hinemoa Point Road, Rotorua,
$6,188;
Department of Conservation - initiate a 10-year
restoration plan for Tumurau wetland (year 1),
$22,300;
New Zealand Historic Places Trust - develop and
provide information and training for key agencies on built
heritage in the Bay of Plenty, $18,700;
Te Puna Quarry
Park Society - continue the implementation of a "native
trees for timber" project (Tane's Tree Trust) at Te Puna
Quarry Park, $5,788;
Te Kura O Te Moutere O Matakana Te
Kotukutuku - restore the Native School Cottage at Matakana
Island School (stage 1), $30,000;
Pukehina M1B3 Trust -
protect a waahi tapu Urupa site on the dunes of Pukehina
Beach and erect interpretation panels on the history of the
site, $5,000;
Taupo Orchid Society (Inc) HPA Management
Committee - undertake pest plant and pest animal control and
planting to protect native orchids in Iwitahi, $32,510;
Ngai Tama Hapu Opape Marae Trustees - control and manage
weed infestations along the walkway to Morices Bay at Opape,
$4,416;
Eastbay REAP - provide a teaching resource,
including instruction manuals, to support the Trees for
Survival Programme, $6,590;
Western Bay of Plenty
District Council - extend and develop the Wild About NZ
project, $12,725;
The Elms Foundation - develop a
conservation and management plan and erect interpretation
panels for The Elm's heritage gardens, $40,000;
Te
Runanga o Ngati Awa-Ngati Awa Farm Committee – undertake an
archaeological survey and prepare an archaeological sites
management strategy for Ngati Awa Farm, $9,000.
Total:
$516,374
District Councils
Tauranga: Plant a
stormwater detention pond at Pyes Pa to improve stormwater
quality, $30,000; construct a hazardous waste store at Te
Maunga Transfer Station, $32,500; develop a conservation
plan for Mauao, $21,150; enhance the waterways, margins and
surrounding lands of the Westmoreland Rise tributary valley,
$65,000.
Western Bay of Plenty: Educate the Western Bay
of Plenty community on adverse effects of septic tank
systems by producing information booklets, public displays
and running seminars and workshops, $20,000.
Kawerau:
Control plant and animal pests, upgrade public access ways
and replant indigenous flora in the Monika Lanham Reserve
(stage 2), $64,500;
Whakatane: Control plant pests on
the Whakatane escarpment, $23,000; develop a heritage trail
through the Whakatane urban area (stage 3), $21,554; carry
out animal pest control maintenance within Mokoroa and Kohi
Point Scenic Reserves (stage 2), $35,485; control plant
pests at the Western Whakatane Coastal Recreation Reserve
(stage 3), $29,825.
Opotiki: Implement weed control
measures on road reserve (Ohiwa Beach Road,
Ohiwa
Harbour Road, Ohiwa Loop Road and Ruatuna Road) adjoining
the margins of Ohiwa Harbour, $7,520; establish a
Resource Recovery Centre at Te Kaha, $44,000; undertake
environmental restoration work on two sites adjacent to
Wainui Road and the Nukuhou River estuary, Ohiwa Harbour,
$10,760.
Total:
$405,294
ENDS