Groups to benefit from environmental fund

For immediate release: Monday 21 December 2009

Groups from across the Bay of Plenty will benefit from Environment Bay of Plenty’s latest Environmental Enhancement Fund round.

A total of 21 projects will receive $299,798 this year for projects ranging from restoration work to building a board walk and installing a rain water collection and grey water re-use system and promoting the model to other businesses.

In addition, almost $100,000 has also been allocated to projects under $5000, which is an increase of $50,000 on the original allocation. Through making funding available in this category, it means that Environment Bay of Plenty is able to help many community groups with smaller projects that are completed over a shorter time frame.

Environmental Enhancement Fund Sub-committee Chairman Malcolm Whitaker said it was rewarding to see such a wide range of projects put forward for consideration.

“There are many deserving projects underway, where people are working quietly and steadily on improving their piece of the region – for themselves, their communities and the future generations,” he said.

“It was great to see the three target areas particularly important for the region were well subscribed to. These areas - water quality (streams, lakes and lake margins), harbours and estuaries, and threatened native species and their habitats – are dear to many people’s hearts.

“That passion for their environment and the future sustainability showed through in the applications,” he said.

“I look forward to visiting many of the projects, to see how they’re getting on and to see the changes in the environment.”

The additional funding round will open in March 2010 with successful applicants notified in time for the winter planting season. When the funding available for projects under $5000 is fully allocated, that part of the fund will be closed until the new financial year in July 2010.

This year’s successful recipients are:

Eastern Bay of Plenty

• Tuhoe Tuawhenua Trust - To carry out revegetation of areas of ngahere at Ruatahuna ($9,870)

• Rotary Club of Kawerau - To undertake restoration work in the Monika Lanham Reserve, Kawerau. ($27,500)

• Bay Artificial Reef Charitable Trust - To produce a flyer and design and erect a large sign promoting the Seafire wreck to the diving community and general public ($4,000)

• Matata Residents Association - To restore the Te Awa o te Atua Lagoon through weed and pest control and native planting ($15,000)

• Nga Maunga Kaitiaki Trust - To do weed control on Mount Putauaki ($30,000)

• Te Kura o Te Teko - To carry out further restoration and revegetation of the land between Te Teko School and the Rangitaiki River including planting a rongoa (maori medicinal) garden as a continuation of a previous application in 2008 ($12,159)

• Bryce-Hare Whanau - To remove weeds from an area of freehold land on the flood plains of the Whakatane River and plant the area in native trees and shrubs. ($23,750)

• SCA Hygiene Australasia - To clear and plant with indigenous species a small section of the Tarawera River riverbank ($8,552)

• Ngaitai Iwi Authority - To carry out pest plant control and revegetation planting at the Torere River margin and Torere Beach Native Bush Reserve ($17,264)

• Taneatua, Waimana, Ruatoki Taiohi Trust - To implement Stage 1 of the establishment of the Otarahioi Bird Retreat in Taneatua. ($10,379)

Rotorua

• Bush Railway and Old Sawmill Trust - To carry out pest animal control on an area of land from the roadside to the gorge situated at State Highway 5, Tarukenga, Ngongotaha ($4,625)

• Ko Te Tuara Totara O Fordlands - To clean up, re-plant and maintain approximately 0.5 km of the Utuhina Stream ($6,700)

Western Bay of Plenty

• Sanctuary Bird Park - To complete Stage 3 of a previous application to create a native bird sanctuary ($21,500)

• Tauranga Rotary Centennial Trust - To return Kopurereua Valley to its natural state through extensive native plantings ($23,300)

• Papamoa 2B Trust - To carry out weed control, construct a boardwalk and erect fencing to manage pedestrian traffic on the Papamoa Pt2B Block ($18,050)

• CBRC Syndicate - To install a rain water collection and grey water re-use system at Bayfair Shopping Centre and promote the model to other local commercial businesses ($10,000)

• No.2 Road Hall Trust - To complete the restoration of the No.2 Road Hall and grounds as a useable heritage building ($15,000)

• Athenree Homestead - To build a protective structure over a earth cellar situated at Athenree Homestead Reserve ($10,000)

• Aongatete Forest Restoration Trust - To continue pest control operations in the Kaimai-Mamaku Conservation Park ($17,912)

• Whareroa Marae Charitable Trust - To restore and re-vegetate the surrounding banks of the Omanu Urupa ($9,237)

Across the region

• Enviro-Challenge New Zealand Charitable Trust - To deliver a comprehensive and effective High-School Education for Sustainability Programme ($5,000)

ENDS

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