The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council welcomes funding of $3.6 million from MPI’s Hill Country Erosion Fund to work with the farming community to help protect erosion-prone land and keep productive soils on farms and out of waterways.

Integrated Catchments Group Manager Iain Maxwell says the funding will be a good boost for cyclone recovery efforts.

“Our team work on the ground with local farmers to support sustainable farming practices, and this funding will allow us to support farmers to plant poplar and willow poles in the right areas to prevent erosion, revert and protect areas of native bush, and plant natives. This kind of work is critical for farms to build resilience to severe climate events.”

“To support our educational efforts, we will also be developing learning modules for farmers around soil conservation. These modules will provide farmers with practical information and tips on how to conserve soil health and minimise environmental impact.”

Using the funding, the Regional Council will be expanding the poplar and willow nursery support to increase production.

“This will contribute significantly to the restoration efforts and help to ensure the long-term sustainability of our natural environment.”

“Hawke’s Bay has over 250,000 hectares of erosion-prone land and this funding will compliment the work we plan to be undertaking through Land For Life.”

Notes:

The Hill Country Erosion Fund -

• The Hill Country Erosion Fund (HCEF) operates four-yearly contestable funding rounds and is open to proposals from regional councils and unitary authorities.
• The HCEP’s 2023 funding round was held last year when a panel of representatives from several Government agencies, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, and Beef + Lamb NZ assessed applications.
• Support offered to farmers through council programmes include on-farm planning, retirement of land, native revegetation, exotic forestry (where appropriate), and widely spaced or gully plantings of poplar and willow trees within paddocks.

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