Wildlife sanctuary picks up $1.4m grant
The region’s central wildlife sanctuary has been granted $1.4 million for the next four years.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari manager Melissa Sinton and trustee Don Scarlett asked the Waikato Regional Council for a $50,000 per year increase over its previous funding, and for it to be extended to a four-year term.
The money comes from council’s Natural Heritage Fund.
And this will be used to maintain the mountain’s 47km predator proof fence, fight predation and fund the trust’s ecological restoration programmes.
Natural Heritage Fund committee members voted 5 to 1 in favour of the grant, $350,000 per year from the next financial year.
But despite praise for the successful work already done on the mountain, committee chairwoman Jane Hennebry said the level of funding should be put through the long term plan to ensure rigour.
‘‘There is not a doubt in your enthusiasm but you need cash,’’ Hennebry said.
Sanctuary Mountain has received donations for a new education centre and facilities but Hennebry said that leaves it with even more costs to cover when revenue is low.
‘‘You need staff to run it and more maintenance so the more you grow, the more it costs you to run.’’
Cr Stu Kneebone said biodiversity benefits were spilling across the perimeter fence.
And councillor Fred Lichtwark, who is not on the Heritage Fund Committee but attended the meeting, said the mountain sanctuary is even more deserving of funds than the proposed Waikato Regional Theatre.
‘‘To me, this is our core business,’’ Lichtwark said.
Crs Alan Livingston, Barry Quayle, Hugh Vercoe, Dal Minogue and Kneebone voted in favour of the the $1.4m grant to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
Hennebry was opposed.