SLUI gains government support for a fifth round

Horizons Regional Council’s popular Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI) has been successful in its bid to central government for funding for a fifth time.
 

Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service's Hill Country Erosion Fund (HCEF) has supported SLUI, which aims to reduce hill country erosion, build resilience to storm events and improve water quality, since 2007.
 
Horizons group manager catchment operations Jon Roygard says this round $3.6 million of partnership funding has been granted across the next four years.
 
“Te Uru Rākau’s support will help boost on-farm works including forestry, pole planting, stream fencing, sediment traps, reversion of land in pasture to native cover, and fencing of existing bush remnants,” says Dr Roygard.
 
“Funding will also contribute to Farm Plans which are a key part of SLUI as they identify what erosion works could be applied on individual farms. Together, the farm plans and identified works aim to keep valuable soil on our hills and out of waterways by targeting the most at risk areas in the region.”
 
Dr Roygard says Horizons is grateful to have the continued support of central government and landowners.
 
“On top of the funding received, we project landowners will be investing over $13 million over the next four years. Horizons’ ratepayers will also be contributing over $18 million.
 
“Over the life of SLUI to date the total spend has been around $109 million with the HCEF contributing about $25 million of the total cost. This has translated into some pretty impressive statistics for what has been, and continues to be, a really successful programme.
 
“Since SLUI began in 2007, over 29 million trees have been planted and Horizons has established relationships with more than 780 landowners to develop 908 Whole Farm Plans across 656,600 hectares, representing over half the highly erodible land in the region. To date over 52,400 hectares of erosion control works have been completed.
 
“We have a long and productive relationship with the Ministry for Primary Industries through the HCEF and we hope it continues for many years yet.”
 
Helen Somerville, manager grant and contract management, Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service, says they are pleased to provide ongoing support to the programme. 
 
“SLUI has demonstrated good management of funding to achieve successful outcomes that support the objective of HCEF, and has done fantastic work over the years to revegetate vulnerable land, build on-farm resilience to storms, and improve water quality in its stream and rivers.
 
“This work is vital to protecting our precious natural resources and ensuring better outcomes for New Zealanders.”
 
Dr Roygard says Horizons’ land management advisors welcome calls from landowners who are interested in taking advantage of the funding available.
 
“If your property has hill country land, please get in touch via our free phone number 0508 800 800 so we can discuss what can be done on your farm.”
 
For more information about the SLUI programme please click here.