Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay has announced the first ever recipients of the Biodiversity HB Project Fund, exactly one year since the launch of the Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Action Plan.

The charity’s Project Fund is a small grants programme for individuals and community groups.

Chair of the Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay Guardians Committee, Kay Griffiths, spoke at the 22 May event held with the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) to celebrate the International Day of Biological Diversity, and updated everyone on the work of the past year.

“We’re really excited to move into the ‘doing’ phase with the announcement of the first recipients of our fund. It’s great to be able to recognise and support local community groups working to enhance biodiversity in Hawke’s Bay,” says Mrs Griffiths.

The first projects selected include riparian planting and maintenance at Rotongaio in Wairoa District with Ngati Pahauwera Development Trust, weed control and planting at ‘The Gap’ gravel beach near Hawke’s Bay Airport, a contribution to deer fencing at Puketitiri’s Little Bush with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hastings Forest & Bird, and rabbit enclosure plots at Central Hawke’s Bay’s Puahanui Bush with the Gwavas Charitable Trust for the Puahanui Bush.

Only established in 2018, the Biodiversity HB Project Fund relies on membership contributions from individuals, families, schools, marae, local businesses, and corporations from across Hawke’s Bay. Corporate Guardians include EIT, Hawke’s Bay Airport, Napier City Council, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, University of Waikato, and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

Guests were encouraged to join the Biodiversity Guardians to support work on the ground. Project Manager, Genevieve Bennett said “we want to keep growing and every contribution really adds up to helps us to do even more, right across Hawke’s Bay”.

Guests also heard from Hannah Prior, Head of Programmes for BLAKE (previously the Sir Peter Blake Trust), who spoke about opportunities for young people through their ambassador programme.

To join the Biodiversity Guardians or to find out more about the work of Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay visit biodiversityhb.org

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