Supporting priority areas

• What if my property’s in a priority area?

  Support is available to landowners in priority areas to help them:

  • understand their farm’s losses to the environment
  • understand opportunities for enhancing biodiversity
  • prepare for future targets set by the Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai project.

  This support includes:

  • assistance in developing property or farm plans
  • targeted funding (subject to eligibility and availability) of up to 70% of the cost of work
  • field days, information packages and so on, to encourage sustainable land use and management practices.
• What if my property's outside a priority area?

  Up to 35% funding (subject to eligibility and availability) is available to landowners in the Waipa catchment for:

  • soil conservation and erosion control works on sites with isolated and severe erosion or high potential as a flagship site for education and advocacy for water quality enhancement works
  • undertaking biodiversity protection and enhancement works that meet at least one of the following criteria:
    • high existing biodiversity value e.g. presence of threatened species, underrepresented ecosystem
    • high biodiversity education value.

Priority soil conservation, nutrient and biodiversity areas

• Priority soil conservation areas

  Please note funding is subject to eligibility and availability.

  Landowners in...	Funding	For implementing	When
  Priority 1 soil conservation areas (10 landowners in total)	70% (co-funded by the Waikato River Authority)	soil conservation works in farm plans developed together with Waikato Regional Council 30% of costs funded by the landowner through in-kind labour (fencing, planting, site preparation and weed control) or financial contribution	2014/15
  Priority 2 soil conservation areas	35%	soil conservation and erosion control works	2014/15 ongoing
  Priority streams and rivers	Up to 50%	river management works to improve bank stability
  Rest of Waipa catchment	Up to 35%	soil conservation and erosion control works in sites with: isolated, severe erosion high potential as flagship site for education and advocacy
  Priority 1 soil conservation areas	70% (co-funded by Waikato River Authority)	soil conservation and erosion control works on Land Use Capability class 6-8 land in farm plans	2015/16 – 2016/17

  Soil conservation map

  

  Priority rivers and streams

  

   
• Priority nutrient areas

  Please note funding is subject to eligibility and availability.

  Landowners in...	Funding	For implementing...	When
  Priority nutrient areas	35%	Water quality enhancement works, such as wetland retirement and riparian planting (excluding works required by industry or consents).	2015/16

  
• Priority biodiversity areas

  Please note funding is subject to eligibility and availability.

  Landowners in...	Funding	For implentating...	When
  Priority biodiversity areas (see maps below)	Up to 100% of direct costs from Waikato Regional Council and other providers	Biodiversity protection and enhancement works that include restoration planning, fencing, planting and plant pest control	2015/16