Community grants funding awarded

A media release from the Manawatū River Leaders’ Accord announcing the successful recipients of the
2019-20 community grants programme.

The Manawatū River Leaders’ Forum is pleased to announce 14 successful applications who have secured community grants funding for freshwater improvement projects throughout the Manawatū Catchment.

The Manawatū River Leaders’ Accord runs a contestable community funding programme once a year with the support of Horizons Regional Council. In 2018 the fund was expanded with help from the Manawatū District Council and the Ministry for the Environment, through the Freshwater Improvement Fund.

Manawatū River Leaders’ Accord independent chair Richard Thompson says that thanks to last year’s expansion of funding there is a further three years of $100,000 available for community projects per year.

“The grants aim to assist non-profit organisations such as community groups, schools, catchment care groups and iwi/hapū with projects that will help increase engagement with Manawatū waterways and improve water quality in the catchment,” says Mr Thompson.

“This year we received 20 applications seeking a total of $392,000 collectively. Each application was of exceptional calibre.”

“We have managed to award the $100,000 to 14 projects, which is very exciting.

Three of these were initially funded in 2018 for a two year period, two are new applications for projects which began last year, and the remaining nine are entirely new.

This year’s funding was awarded to:

1. Fallow Ave Wapiti Ave Community Restoration Reserve Group (Feilding) – installation of a track through a gully system in the headwaters of the Mangaone West Stream and riparian planting of the gully;
2. (Umutaoroa Ngarehe) Huia Range School (Dannevirke)  – riparian fencing, and planting of the Tapuata stream and education;
3. Mangaone West Landcare Group (Feilding) – weed control for the plantings that were funded through the Manawatū River Leaders’ Accord Community Grants last financial year;
4. Save Our River Trust (Foxton) – planting of 500 giant weeping flaxes along the Foxton Loop, continuation of a project that was started in 2012;
5. Source of Kiwitea (Kiwitea)  – native planting of a gully in the headwaters of the Kiwitea Stream involving the local Waituna West School, and Waituna West playcentre;
6. Te Keo Wetland (Tiraumea) – Retirement of a wetland, riparian planting, community engagement and monitoring equipment;
7. Te Roopu Taiao o Ngāti Whakatere Trust (Shannon) – retirement and riparian planting of a culturally significant wetland in Shannon;
8. Te Taiao Ukaipo (Dannevirke) – weed control, stream fencing, riparian planting and monitoring of the Otamaraho and Mangapuaka Streams;
9. Manawatū River Source to Sea ‘Plastic Pollution Project Phase 2’ (Manawatū Catchment) – building on the foundations of the project started last year. This year will focus on finalising resources for communities to be able to use, expanding the engagement with schools and public in Palmerston North and the wider Manawatū;
10. Source of the Manawatū – Te Kauru and Drysdale (Palmerston North) – building on the foundations  of the project started last year. This year will include further weed control and riparian planting of the Manawatū River at the Source , and creation of safe access areas to access the river;
11. Ōroua River Catchment Care Group ‘Windows to the Ōroua’(Feilding)  – building on the foundations of the project started last year for stage one– opening up access to the Ōroua River, and riparian planting through Timona Park;
12. Ōroua River Catchment Care Group (Feilding) – riparian enhancement and weed control in Timona Park (continuing from 2018 as a two year project);
13. Ngā Kaitiaki ō te Rerenga Rauropi (Palmerston North) – the restoration of the Pioneer Highway Stream (continuing from 2018 as a two year project);
14. Dannevirke Host Lions Club (Dannevirke) – growing rata to be planted in riparian zones in the Tararua District (continuing from 2018 as a two year project).

For more information on  the community funding programme, click here.