Moeraki landowners’ fight against rabbits has just been given a $50,000 boost.

The money awarded to the Moeraki MR BLKXVI Ahu Whenua Trust comes from the Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) latest round of Incentive Funding, which was signed off by councilors at a meeting yesterday (May 24).

The trust is one of 32 Otago groups which were successful recipients of a total of $536,470 - from both the ORC annual ECO Fund and its Incentives Fund this year.

An initial 49 applications were received, with $1.17 million being sought from an available $568,000.

Other Waitaki recipients of the funding are Five Forks School, which received $10,000 for native revegetation; the East Otago Catchment Group which was given $21,000 for biosecurity and native fauna enhancement, and the Herbert Heritage Group which received $847 for native revegetation.

A total of $1.37 million has now been released by the ORC ECO Fund and Incentives Funding during the past nine funding rounds, since it began mid-2018.

ORC environmental implementation manager Libby Caldwell said the annual oversubscription reflects the need in the community for this important funding stream.

“The work that can now be undertaken from these two funds is a great example of the ORC working in partnership with local communities throughout Otago, to improve the state of the environment across numerous needs.”

That includes funding for water quality monitoring, trap purchases, animal and weed pest control, native plant nurseries and plantings and biodiversity enhancement.

The assessment panel, made up of councillors Alexa Forbes, Kate Wilson and Alan Somerville, were “delighted with the quality and breadth of the applications,” Alan said.

“We're just sorry the funds available didn't allow us to approve more of them.

“Communities know what matters most to them in their own areas, and funding from the ECO Fund can empower them to turn those ideas into action.”

Local groups across Otago, and the people involved, build valuable skills and knowledge and strengthen their community connections, he said.

“Current and future generations will live in neighbourhoods with cleaner water and more native bush at their back door.”

Libby said the ECO Fund also helps support administration costs for largely voluntary organisations, project co-ordinators and educational programmes and also for the use of contractors for projects.

“Assisting with these costs is an essential part to underpin communities’ environmental projects and ensure their sustainability.”

Each application was assessed by three ORC staff then the assessment panel of three councillors and one mana whenua representative, with those recommendations going to council. 

Incentives Funding is ring-fenced, and cannot be reallocated to applications in different categories.

Following the assessment process for the March 2023 round, the assessment panel recommended 32 applications for funding at a total value of $536,470, with 16 applications totalling $328,000 from ECO Fund and 16 applications totalling $208,470 from the additional Incentives Funding.

At a full ORC meeting yesterday (May 24), councillors signed off the successful applications.

Applications came from across Otago; with six successful applications around Dunedin environs, five around Queenstown and the balance of 37 spread as far afield as Ōamaru, Lake Hawea, the Catlins, Wanaka and South Otago.