Innovative projects designed to protect the marine environment and to promote responsible dog ownership have won two Northland councils finalist places in the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) Excellence Awards.
The Northland Regional Council's marine biosecurity programme is a finalist in the award for environmental impact, while the Far North District Council is a finalist in the community engagement category with its Ngā Kurī Auau o Kaikohe project.
The NRC was the first council in the country to bring marine pests into its pest management plan and propose a region-wide Marine Pathway plan, aimed at educating the community on the threats posed by of marine pests, pursuing new technologies and actively checking the hulls of more than 2000 vessels every year.
The award judges praised the initiative for taking a lead in addressing a significant problem and attempting to deal with a very significant challenge.
The FNDC's Ngā Kurī Auau o Kaikohe was a targeted, community-based social marketing project aimed at encouraging dog compliance and promoting responsible dog ownership, in response to a high number of dog attacks.