Grants awarded to Community projects

Horizons Regional Council is pleased to announce 33 community projects have been awarded funding through the Kanorau Koiora Taketake – Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant and Pūtea Hapori Urupare Āhuarangi - Community Climate Response Fund this year.
 

Horizons chair Rachel Keedwell says she is pleased Horizons can provide support to communities with initiatives for biodiversity and climate change.
 
“The number of applications grows significantly each year. This year we received more than 60 applications.
 
“This year through the Long-term Plan process we allocated an additional $100,000 to assisting community groups achieve biodiversity projects.
 
“It’s great to see applications from a number of new groups with brand new projects, as well as previous recipients looking to take their existing projects to the next level,” says Cr Keedwell.
 
“We are excited to see projects awarded across the region this year, with five projects from each of Tararua and Manawatū, three from each of Whanganui and Horowhenua, seven from Rangitīkei, eight in Ruapehu, and one each in Palmerston North and Waitomo.”
 
Applications are reviewed and decisions for final funding made by a councillor panel. The total funding allocated to both grants is $412,000, which includes funding allocation for eight multi-year projects from previous years.
 
“We look forward to seeing the outcomes of these projects and watching our communities build their capacity to take action where it really will make a difference,” says Cr Keedwell.
 
The 27 successful projects for the Horizons Regional Council’s 2024 Kanorau Koiora Taketake – Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant are:
 

• Arnim Littek – Equipment for photography records of native species along the coast of the region (Horowhenua)
• Ātihau Whanganui Incorporation – Wetland restoration project (Ruapehu)
• Awahuri Forest Kitchener Park Trust – Phragmites karka control (Manawatū)
• Awahuri Forest Kitchener Park Trust – Post plant care (Manawatū)
• Koitiata Wetlands Restoration Group – Wetland restoration (Rangitīkei)
• Kopu Bush Remnant Management Group – Habitat restoration (Tararua)
• Maata Kotahi Partnership Trust – Trapping project in preparation for kiwi release (Rangitīkei)
• Makuri Catchment Care Group – Old man’s beard control (Tararua)
• Manawatū River Catchments Collective – Bat monitoring (Manawatū)
• Mataroa School – School native seed raising nursery (Rangitīkei)
• Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua Trust – Herbertville coastal restoration (Tararua)
• Ohaumoko Trust – Forest development in the Mangatipona Stream Valley (Rangitīkei)
• Otiranui Guardians – Purchase traps for trapping expansion (Ruapehu)

• Ōtorohanga Kiwi House Charitable Trust – Pikiariki restoration rat control (Waitomo)
• Ōwhanga Alive – World Rivers Day planting (Ruapehu)
• Peter & Ella Grant – Matatū – Matatū manu restoration (Whanganui)
• Project Tongariro (Tongariro Natural History Society Incorporated) – Trapping for Predator Free Ohakune (Ruapehu)
• Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre – Te Kohanga a Rākau o Pūkaha Nursery (Tararua)
• Raetihi Primary School – Outdoor Classroom (Ruapehu)
• Rangitīkei Rivers Catchment Collective – Old man’s beard control (Rangitīkei)
• Rangitīkei Rivers Catchment Collective – Trap library (Rangitīkei)
• Ruahine Whio Protectors – Te Potae O Awarua and Pohangina Valley (Rangitīkei)
• Russell Tocker – Tiakiahuna Wetland restoration (Manawatū)
• Te Waro A Ngahere trust – Whakaorangia Whakapakaringia Te Ngahere me nga wai / Restore and strengthen forest and waters (Ruapehu)
• Upper Ōngarue Catchment Group - Whanganui Region Catchment Collective – Trapping extension (Ruapehu)
• Waikawa Beach Environment Group – Recreation reserve planting (Horowhenua)
• Waitahora Collective -  Old man’s beard control (Tararua)

 
 
The additional six for the Pūtea Hapori Urupare Āhuarangi - Community Climate Response Fund are:
 

• Environment Network Manawatū (ENM) – Growing Gardens & Communities programme (GGAC) (Palmerston North)
• Manchester House Social Services – Community Garden Project (Manawatū)
• Ngāti Hāua Iwi Trust – Mara kai initiative (Ruapehu)
• Whanganui Green Bikes – Becoming a Park Tools School (Whanganui)
• Wildlife Foxton Trust – Rare plant species propagation for dune restoration (Horowhenua)
• Woven Rivers Trust – Native seedling stand out area (Whanganui)

 
 
For more information on these projects, keep an eye on the Horizons Facebook page where projects are regularly featured.
 
The next round of applications for the Kanorau Koiora Taketake – Indigenous Biodiversity Community Grant will open in March 2025. For more information about what grants Horizons has available to community groups, please see horizons.govt.nz.