Predator and planting push
Taranaki’s predator eradication and riparian planting projects will be ramped up if more central government recovery funding can be accessed in the wake of Covid-19.
Taranaki Regional Council has earmarked its Towards Predator-Free Taranaki 2050 programme to receive an extra $17 million of Government funding to expand predator control over 240,000ha, and another $100m to cover the entire region.
Meanwhile, the riparian planting management scheme would receive $46m to plant 3 million more natives.
Up to $100m funding would also be sought to fund more tree planting in eastern Taranaki hill country. Another $25m funding has been targeted towards farm environment schemes, weed control and protecting biodiversity.
From a total funding need of $337m for all projects, TRC had applied for $220m from Government,
Environmental umbrella group Wild for Taranaki chairman
with local sources contributing $117m.
More than 355 region-wide jobs would also be created from the extra funding opportunities.
The funding applications come as TRC makes budget cuts to environmental groups such as Wild for Taranaki, which has had a $70,000 grant reduction.
TRC operations manager Stephen Hall said the regional council had applied for Government funding to help fund a range of environmental projects which would accelerate and expand on existing programmes.
Towards Predator-Free Taranaki 2050 is in the second year of a five-year, $11.7m funding programme through Government agency Predator-Free 2050.
The project had focused initially on eradicating pests from urban and rural areas near New Plymouth, and a 4500ha area in Egmont National Park.
The additional $30m funding would help build and lay 20,000 more traps over the remaining 120,000ha, improve monitoring, and employ an extra 40 people.
If the project were expanded over the whole region the costs would rise to $100m and employ more than 200 people.
Hall said the vision for Towards Predator-Free Taranaki, or Taranaki Taku Tu¯ ranga, was for the entire region to be predator free by 2050.
The regional council had asked for an additional $17m from Government to accelerate the programme and expand predator control across 240,000ha of the region.
TRC had also applied to Crown Infrastructure to help fund three
‘‘The regional council had been very generous in the establishment period of the group . . . ’’
Roy Weaver
projects, including the $50m rebuild of the two earthquakerisk stands at Yarrow Stadium, $3.8m towards its own building projects, and $13.6m for the Kaitake walking and cycle trail.
Environmental umbrella group Wild for Taranaki chairman Roy Weaver said that the $70,000 grant reduction would not affect the group’s ability to perform its tasks.
‘‘The regional council had been very generous in the establishment period of the group, and we have other opportunities for funding coming in,’’ he said.
‘‘Some programmes may be cut back until more funding is provided, but it’s too early to tell, and we will need to see what funding is potentially there.’’