Further work on the Manawatu-Whanganui Regional Council’s environmental enhancement projects list has taken refined it from 20 projects worth $74 million and to 13 jobs costing $150m.
Of that, Horizons has asked for $100m from the Government.
Council natural resources and partnerships group manager Dr Jon Roygard says conversations with Government officials allowed for a rework of what projects could be delivered, local co-funding, the number of jobs that will be created and extending the projects to a five-year timeframe.
“While many of the projects are already planned or under way, central Government funding will accelerate the work. This, in turn, will stimulate our economy, create jobs and improve our region’s water quality and biodiversity at a faster rate.”
Of the 13 projects submitted, 10 are counil-led. They include riparian planting and stream fencing, pest plant and animal control, biodiversity enhancement and accelerating the Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI).
As part of its submission the council had to be clear it is not double-dipping, instead highlighting that demand for improvements is so great more money is needed to keep up.
Many of the projects fit with the Government’s freshwater improvement initiatives.
Last year, having secured $6.4m over four years from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ hill-country erosion fund the council broadened the SLUI funding criteria to make it easier for landowners to be part of the programme.
That allows funding for one-off jobs on farms that do not have a SLUI whole farm plan, with further funding available for properties with existing SLUI and Whanganui Catchment Strategy whole farm plans.
Farmers have taken that up and extra Government funding will enable the work to be done sooner.
A significant focus of the council’s submission is job creation, with the projects likely to create up to 750 jobs.
Not all of them will involve physical work, Roygard says.
There will be roles in project management, co-ordination and administration but a shortage of fencers will need to be addressed.
Landowners do a significant amount of the work themselves and also contribute financially to environmental improvements made to their land.
He says anyone who wants information about funding or advice should contact the council.
