Kia ora, koutou!
We've had a lot going on since our last newsletter in April.
The rounds for our Small Scale Community Initiatives Fund and Environmental Initiatives Fund have been completed and you can find a list of successful applicants on the above linked webpages. Thanks to an increase in funding of the Natural Heritage Partnerships Programme via our long-term plan, we were also able to run a Natural Heritage Fund round this year and applications closed on 1 November 2024. We had strong interest and received $3.376 million in applications with an available fund of approximately $1.4 million. Outcomes of this funding round will be announced in the first quarter of 2025. The great news is that with the increased funding, we can now run a Natural Heritage Fund round each year!
At our Integrated Catchment Management Committee meeting at the end of October, we showcased some of the great biodiversity projects being undertaken by community groups across the region, including Maungatautari Ecological Island, Thames Coast Kiwi Care, Central Waikato Predator Free Hub, Kids Greening Taupō and Habitat Tuateawa. You can view their combined presentation here.
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Environmental restoration projects
We are currently funding 58 individual groups or landowners a total of $1.17 million through our Natural Heritage Partnerships Programme. If you are receiving funding from us and would like to share your environmental restoration project on Waikato Regional Council's story hub and as part of our next Biodiversity Partnerships e-newsletter, please email media@waikatoregion.govt.nz. Here are the latest groups to have their projects profiled.
Biodiversity Partnerships video
Check out our new Biodiversity Partnerships video. It profiles some of the awesome projects funded through our Natural Heritage Partnerships Programme.
Wairere Mahi connecting whānau to te taiao
The Wairere Mahi restoration project by Ngāti Hinerangi isn’t just about looking after the environment – it’s also about looking after the waiora (wellbeing) of its people and their tūpuna.
Kiwi arrive after years of dedication and collaboration
Biosecurity
Wild ginger
Wild ginger is becoming increasingly problematic across our region. It is tolerant of all sorts of environments, including shade, most soil types, good or bad drainage, drought and frost, therefore it easily can become the dominant species, smothering out native plants. You can control ginger year-round in a variety of ways. Check out how on on our pest hub and at Weedbusters.
Kauri protection
Kauri infected by the dieback pathogen Phytopthoria agathidicida (PA) are not widespread in the Waikato region, but the survival of kauri depends on us all. This is a friendly reminder to make sure you’re removing any dirt from your boots and your gear when entering and leaving areas with kauri. You can read more about preventing the spread of PA or report a sick tree on our Kauri Protection webpage.
Questions or feedback? Please contact Biodiversity Officer Renee Denby at Waikato Regional Council: renee.denby@waikatoregion.govt.nz
