Fourteen Tairāwhiti properties have been awarded a share of the $100,000 Natural Heritage Fund (NHF) for the 2021/2022 financial year.

The fund has more than tripled in value over the past three years from $30,000 in the 2018/2019 financial year.

NHF is a Council fund. It gives back to significant projects on private properties that increase the wellbeing of our environment. The fund is intended to assist private landowners to protect or enhance indigenous biodiversity on their land. The fund gives recognition and support from Council to the positive contribution landowners make to retaining biodiversity values as guardians/kaitiaki of their land.

This year Council received a record number of 20 applications which exceeded the amount of the NHF.

Applications were assessed using the biodiversity merit ranking sheet, which considers the social, cultural and environmental attributes and gains of a project.

The amounts approved at Council’s Operations meeting for the 2021/2022 financial year were:

• Gaddums Hill Protection Management Area Enhancement Project - $10,500
• Te Kopae Bush Protection Management Area Fencing Project - $12,000
• Mangaotane Station Trust Conservation Project - $6,000
• Maungarongo o Te Kooti Reserve Wetland Restoration Project - $10,000
• Paringahau Station Protection Management Area Fencing Project - $10,000
• Willows Road - Maungarongo Wetland Margin Project - $6,000
• Koranga Station Pest Control Project - $3,500
• Waikereru Wetland Restoration Project - $8,500
• Kotare Station - Murphy's Bush Planting and Pest Control Project - $9,000
• Pukekiwi Station Riparian Project - $7,000
• Aerial Station Fencing Project - $5,000
• Lark Ridge Biodiversity Project - $5,000
• Tralee Station Revegetation Project - $3,500
• Waikohu River Riparian Project - $4,000.

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