Council grants $1.66m to six landscape scale environmental projects

Waikato Regional Council has granted a total of $1,658,108 from its Natural Heritage Fund (NHF) towards six landscape scale environmental projects.

On Tuesday this week, the Integrated Catchment Management Committee approved grants for projects by the Tongariro Natural History Society, He Akina Limited, Whenuakiwi Trust (Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group), E Ora Tāne Pest Management Limited Partnership, Waikato Environment Centre (Go Eco), and Te Paiaka Lands Trust (Tipu Environmental). 

For 2024 to 2027, the funding policy prioritises projects that achieve landscape scale biodiversity outcomes or those that link multiple smaller biodiversity projects to achieve landscape scale biodiversity outcomes. 

A total of six applications were received for 2025/26, requesting $1,899,472.40. 

Details of the results of the funding round are as follows.

Tongariro Natural History Society Incorporated, $300,000 over four years towards the Project Tongariro Core Mission Support project. The funding is for labour by core staff for hub operations and subproject delivery in the Waikato region. Project Tongariro staff deliver several subprojects (Greening Taupō, Kids Greening Taupō, and Predator Free Taupō) as well as on the ground restoration (Lake Rotopounamu and Te Matapuna Wetland).

He Akina Limited, $294,976 over three years towards the Whakaora Tauhara Maunga Initiative. The funding is for labour to undertake pest animal control, track cutting and marking. This is a mana whenua led project on and around Tauhara maunga, working towards a sustained pest animal control programme across the entire mountain.

Whenuakiwi Trust, $319,916 over three years towards the Whenuakite Kiwi Care Group NHF 2025 project. The funding is for contracted labour to undertake pest control, and materials such as traps, lures and consumables. This group has been delivering effective pest animal control in Whenuakite for 25 years, resulting in flocks of over 200 kererū, and also at Hot Water Beach to protect New Zealand dotterel.

E Ora Tāne Pest Management Limited Partnership, $300,000 over three years towards Predator Control for Biodiversity Recovery – LRFT whenua project. The funding is for staff labour to undertake pest animal control. E Ora Tāne, which employs local whānau and integrates mātauranga Māori in its operation, undertakes a landscape scale pest animal control programme near Lake Rotoaira and within two subprojects on the Desert Road

Waikato Environment Centre, $265,498 over two years towards Empowering Communities to Protect Wetland and Stream Biodiversity, Together. The funding is for Go Eco staff labour to design and run community workshops, and contracted labour costs for experts to support the community workshop delivery. This project seeks to increase wetland and stream biodiversity by building community capability and capacity through education, raising awareness of the value, protection, and restoration of freshwater wetlands and their surrounding catchments

Te Paiaka Lands Trust (Tipu Environmental), $177,718 over two years towards Te Whakamaru o Horohoro project. The funding is for labour to undertake pest control and project management in the Waikato region. This project, which has a particular focus on protecting pekapeka (long-tailed bats) on Horohoro maunga, was established with support from Jobs for Nature funding in 2021 and aligns with the aspirations of Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara.

The NHF was established in 2005 to assist organisations with environmental projects in the Waikato region and is funded through the natural heritage targeted rate. Funding is allocated in accordance with the Natural Heritage Partnership Programme (NHPP) Funding Policy, that was adopted by the council on 24 April 2024.

The previous NHF round was run in 2024/25 with four applications funded, totalling $1,341,616. A total of six applications were received, requesting $1,899,472.40.

Existing funding commitments in 25/26 are:

• Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust (MEIT), $383,240
• Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Incorporated – Matahuru Wetland, $62,000
• Mahakirau Forest Estate Society Incorporated, $15,978
• Thames Coast Kiwi Care Incorporated, $80,000.