Biodiversity set to receive boost from community funding

Eleven conservation groups have been announced as recipients of Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay’s Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund to protect native species, preserve local ecosystems and promote regional environmental restoration.

Spanning from Wairoa to Central Hawke’s Bay, the selected recipients’ projects will support an extensive range of environmental initiatives involving native animal and plant protection and pest control.

Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay General Manager, Debbie Monahan, says she was thrilled with the high calibre of applications throughout the process.

“We were really blown away with the quality of applications coming through and could have easily spent the fund many times over. It’s been fantastic to assist with such a diverse group of projects that will be undertaken in many areas across Hawke’s Bay.

From weed control and planting, rodent control at Mohi Bush, stream reserve restoration at Okawa, pest control in Maraetotara and Wairoa, and supporting a kokowai/Northern Spotted Skink sanctuary in Napier, it will be great to see these projects come to fruition.”

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council sponsors the Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund.

Regional Council’s Catchment Management Lead – Biodiversity, Thomas Petrie, says the funding opened an opportunity to help restore the region’s biodiversity while growing and uniting the local biodiversity community were key goals of council.

“Ensuring that we’re protecting our natural environment while connecting and growing capacity and capability around biodiversity for our regional community and catchment groups are key drivers of the Regional Council’s biodiversity plan.”

The funding injection from the Regional Council was originally for a one-year pilot. Given the impressive applications from these environmental champions it shows there is strong demand and interest from the community to support and lead biodiversity projects throughout the region”.

The Environmental Enhancement Contestable Fund is also contributed to by Department of Conservation.

To learn more about biodiversity and this fund, become a Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay member, donate or volunteer, visit www.biodiversityhb.org.

11 August 2023

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