Biodiversity Incentives Fund 2011

Environment Canterbury has approved $53,000 of funding towards biodiversity projects in Canterbury which includes $6,000 from the Honda TreeFund.

Requests for funding include protecting remnant areas of indigenous bush, wetland and stream restoration, as well as amenity plantings.

“We have been really impressed with the growing commitment to protect native flora and fauna coming from landowners and community members,” said Tom Lambie, the Environment Canterbury Commissioner with responsibility for biodiversity.

“Protecting and restoring our natural environment has many benefits, some of them obvious such as improved community amenity and aesthetics, and some of them less obvious such as improvements to the sustainability and productivity of agriculture.

“Improved water quality and a more natural flow in our waterways is another benefit of many biodiversity projects.”

The latest round of funding is the eleventh since the Environment Enhancement Fund was launched by Environment Canterbury in 2001. The fund has recently been reviewed to integrate better with the biodiversity strategy and priorities, and made more flexible and easier for people to apply for funding.

Environment Canterbury is keen to help more communities and landowners protect and restore the unique and varied biodiversity of the region and encourage people with potential projects to contact the Biodiversity Team on 0800 324 636 or check out www.ecan.govt.nz/biodiversity