What’s happening in the Land Management space? 

Welcome to the first edition of the Horizons Land Team update - a new newsletter for the latest updates in the land space at Horizons.

We’ve just finished another successful pole season which saw 33,700 poles delivered and planted within our region. Thank you to all the landowners for supporting our nurseries for another year. 

We are currently busy planning our year ahead, with a solid works program confirmed. If you are thinking about doing any afforestation, fencing of hill country and/or riparian, reversion, pole planting/pruning, or any other types of environmental works, please get in touch with your LMA to see if it's eligible for funding.  

We have recently updated our funding criteria to increase rates for some work types to reflect rising costs of getting works completed, please read on for more info.

Our current contract with MPI for the Hill Country Erosion fund is in place until June 2027 so now is the time to start planning any planting or fencing projects you might have for next year. 

Funding changes

Native afforestation

We have recently made changes to boost funding for native afforestation. SLUI landowners will now be eligible for $1400 - $2100 per hectare and non SLUI landowners will be eligible for $1050 per hectare if planting natives on all erodible land types. 

Fencing within afforestation

We are now also looking more practically at afforestation funding and will allow for funding fencing to remove productive land adjacent to the proposed afforestation area. For example, to fence out a steep gully within a paddock.  

Deer fencing for natives

After feedback from SLUI advisory group, we have decided to add a “top-up” grant of $5/m for deer fencing where natives are being newly established. 

If you are interested in any of these changes, contact your LMA to discuss whether you might be eligible. A reminder that all works must have an agreed and signed application form prior to commencing work.  

Check your poles!

With windy spring conditions already here, please remember to check your willow and poplar poles aren't loose in the ground. If they are, they will need to be re-rammed. For more information about re-ramming, click/tap here. 

Have you checked out the NZ Poplar & Willow website before?

Ballance Farm Environmental Awards 2026

Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) promote sustainable land management on New Zealand farms, recognising and celebrating good practices. Horizons Regional Council is a major partner, supporting the awards and the role they play to highlight the work many farmers and growers are doing to care for the environment.

Applications for this year’s awards close at the end of October. For more information and to enter, tap the button below. You can also get in touch with your LMA if you have any questions. 

Need some inspiration? Read about this year's Regional Supreme Award winners, Hiamoe Farm, here. Hiamoe Farm, near Colyton, started in 1919 as a 149ha sheep and cattle farm. Over 100 years later, it now encompasses 916ha and is run by John and Toos Cousins, with their three sons – Edmund, Guido, and Julius. They also won the Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees.