Grants awarded to Community projects

Gribble Family Trust wetland restoration planting day in Whanganui, with the support from Brunswick School.

There have been 36 community projects awarded funding through the Kanorau Koiora Taketake – Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant and Pūtea Hapori Urupare Āhuarangi - Community Climate Response Fund this year, according to Horizons Regional Council.

Horizons chair Rachel Keedwell says she is pleased that Horizons can provide support to communities with initiatives for biodiversity and climate change.

“The impacts of climate change are intertwined with impacts on our native biodiversity, and it makes sense that we have grants to cover both these areas,” she says.

“We are in the middle of a biodiversity crisis so we welcome actions that help people to look after our taonga that make Aotearoa New Zealand so unique. Our Kanorau Koiora Taketake – Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant is one way we can achieve this.

“Cyclone Gabrielle has made it really clear that helping communities become more resilient to the effects of the climate is essential. Our Pūtea Hapori Urupare Āhuarangi - Community Climate Response Fund is a way to kick-start action at the grassroots level.

“This year we received a record number of applications region-wide across the two funds, and my only disappointment is we don’t have enough to fund them all,” says Cr Keedwell.

Applications received are reviewed and decisions for final funding is made by a councillor panel. This year a total of $341,774 has been awarded from the two funds which includes six multi-year projects from previous years.

“We look forward to seeing the outcomes of these projects and watching our communities build their capacity to take action on topics where it really will make a difference,” says Cr Keedwell.

The 27 successful projects for the Horizons Regional Council’s 2023 Kanorau Koiora Taketake – Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant are:

Atihau Whanganui Incorporated – bush restoration (Whanganui), Blue Duck Station – whio protection and expansion (Ruapehu), Bushy Park – three projects including ecological restoration and hihi project (Whanganui), Castlecliff Coastcare – dune restoration (Whanganui), Friends of Taihape – willow removal (Rangitīkei), Gribble Family Trust – wetland restoration (Whanganui), Kotiata Wetlands – wetland restoration (Rangitīkei), Lone Pine Property Trust - Maunga Tia Kiwi Restoration Project (Ruapehu), Maata Kotahi Partnership Trust – trapping for kiwi release (Rangitīkei), Ngawakahiamoe – three projects including regeneration project with predator control and education resources (Horowhenua), Ohaumoko Family Trust – forest development in Mangatipona stream valley (Rangitīkei), Peter and Ella Grant – matatu manu restoration (Whanganui), Project Tongariro – Rongokaupo wetland and biodiversity restoration (Ruapehu), Pukaha National Wildlife Centre – two projects including Te Kohanga Rakau o Pukaha and Old Man’s Beard control (Tararua), Raetihi School – native restoration and outdoor classroom (Ruapehu), Rangitīkei Rivers Catchment – old man’s beard control (Rangitīkei), Retaruke Catchment Group – Retaruke trap bank (Ruapehu), Sally Pearce – Rangitīkei remnant weed busting (Rangitīkei), The Eco School – gully restoration (Whanganui), Waimarama Freeman – Te Mata o te Whenua (Manawatū), Waitahora Landcare Collective – old man’s beard control phase two (Tararua), Wildlife Foxton Trust – possum trap library (Horowhenua).

The additional nine for the Pūtea Hapori Urupare Āhuarangi - Community Climate Response Fund are:

Bulls School - school orchard (Rangitīkei), Environment Network Manawatū – growing gardens and communities (Palmerston North), Heritage Food Crops Research Trust – food resilience (Whanganui), Mangaweka School – ngahere cultivation including edible gardens (Rangitīkei), Palmerston North Street Van Inc. – electrical testing (Palmerston North), The Eco School – resilient households (Whanganui), Te Awanui a Rua Charitable Trust – kaitiaitanga kaimahi for rangatahi (multiple districts), Wildlife Foxton Trust – spinifex seed germination for dune restoration (Horowhenua), Woven Rivers Charitable Trust – rangatahi climate camp (Whanganui).

■ For more information on these projects keep an eye on the Horizons Facebook page where projects are regularly featured.

The next round of applications for the Kanorau Koiora Taketake – Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant will open in March 2024. For more information about what grants Horizons has available to community groups please see horizons.govt.nz