Conservation: Tairāwhiti catchment groups to benefit from $2.6m cash from Government

The Te Arai Catchment group will be one of three such groups locally to benefit from $7 million in Government cash to support their work. Photo / Liam Clayton

The Government has announced $36 million in funding for land management practices and $7m will support catchment groups across the country, including Tairāwhiti.

Three local catchment groups will benefit to the tune of $2.6m.

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said Budget 2024 provided the $36m for up to four years for regionally based Ministry for Primary Industries staff who supported catchment groups on the ground.

“We’re also announcing a direct investment of $7m into 11 catchment groups and collectives,” Mr McClay said.

This will be in addition to MPI’s current investment in 46 catchment-based projects, which support 290 groups and over 9000 farmers across New Zealand.

In Tairāwhiti, the funding supports the East Coast - Leading from the Land group, which will receive $2m over four years.

That newly formed Tairāwhiti Catchment Collective Group is a network that supports all local catchment groups.

“Whether they are in existence already, or about to be,” collective facilitator Shanna Cairns said.

“We want to get everyone on the same page, so every group has equal access to funding.

“The Government funding is fantastic news for us,” she said.

The two other local groups to benefit are the Te Arai River Catchment Group, $400,000 over two years; and the Tairāwhiti Whenua Māori Collective, $200,000 over three years.

Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson said catchment groups and collectives were integral to revitalising New Zealand’s export-driven economy.

“Supporting locally led catchments projects is one way the Government backs farmers’ efforts to improve land management practices and water quality.

Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard said every catchment was different.

“We need local solutions for local issues.”