$2.39 million towards Gisborne erosion control
12 Oct 2016

37 Gisborne properties will receive $2.39 million worth of treatment to combat erosion on 1,438 hectares through MPI’s Erosion Control Funding Programme (ECFP).

The ECFP has been running since 1992 and is focused on reducing the severe erosion problem facing the Gisborne district, which causes long-term damage to the productivity of rural land. Gisborne district is also susceptible to regular high-intensity weather events that cause soil erosion and downstream flooding.

MPI’s Director of Investment Programmes, Justine Gilliland says the ECFP is critical for the Gisborne region due to the high-risk erosion prone land.

"Erosion can have a negative economic and environmental impact on the district's hill country farms, infrastructure, waterways and high-quality land that is on floodplains," says Gilliland.

"This year we had a dedicated staff member based in Gisborne to work alongside landowners in partnership with Gisborne District Council and Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou to raise awareness of the ECFP and help land owners with applications, and that has paid off."

"We are pleased that this year we received double the applications and have approved funding to treat double the area compared to last year."

"Around 80% of the erosion treatments funded this year will help the land return to its natural state with indigenous scrub and tree cover. The remaining 20% will be treated by planting poplars and willows or forestry."

Successful applicants have been notified, and MPI will continue to work with land owners through the treatment process. MPI encourages other landowners in the district to contact the MPI Gisborne office or the Gisborne District Council to discuss options for treating their erosion prone land.

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