Government funds biodiversity on private land

The Conservation Department and Environment Ministry are giving 58 groups more than $3.2 million to promote and care for plant and animal life on private land.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said bush, streams, birds and plants were important for communities and the public funding would be spent on initiatives to save kiwi, restore streams, plant trees, eradicate pests and provide advice to landowners.

"The work the groups do is vital for our future," she said. "By helping others to improve biodiversity in their area, they’re creating a better life for us all."

Conservation Minister Chris Carter said the money came from the Biodiversity Advice Fund, which supported ideas and advice on nature protection, and the Biodiversity Condition Fund, which directly funded groups that protected, restored and enhanced nature protection on private land.

"There are many positive people and communities out there keen to make a difference in protecting nature and we are happy to reinforce their initiatives and their enterprise," Chris Carter said.

The projects range from a major community consultation project to restore biodiversity on Great Barrier Island to a restoration plan for a major Hawkes Bay River; from a major kiwi initiative in Northland to significant support for the restoration of the Pauatahanui Inlet near Wellington; from wetland and fresh water protection in Nelson to helping fund protection of the yellow eyed penguin in Otago.

"These funds are just one part of the government's package for biodiversity on private land," the ministers said. "They sit alongside the Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust, the Nature Heritage Fund, Nga Whenua Rahui and all the other projects that are part of this government's determination to save New Zealand's biological wealth."

Applications for the next round of funding open on August 4 and close on September 29.

For more information see: http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/land/nzbs/land/condition.html. Or contact the Biodiversity Funds Coordinator on (04) 471 3296 or biofunds@doc.govt.nz.

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