Over 400 jobs created with $36 million river restoration funding

Friday, 8 January 2021

A project to restore the polluted Cashmere Stream is among those environment minister David Parker has announced funding for.

Over 400 jobs will be created through 19 river clean-up projects around the country, environment minister David Parker has announced.

The cost to taxpayers will be $36 million, but with funding from local councils, and other contributions, the total cost would rise to $70m, Parker said.

Much of the work will happen on private land, with some focused on riparian planting, and excluding cattle from rivers and streams, Parker said.

The funding comes from the Freshwater Improvement Fund, which is part of the Government’s $1.245 billion “Jobs for Nature” package, which the Government says will employ thousands, and help the economy bounce back from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Environment minister David Parker has announced 19 waterways restoration projects will get $36 million of government funding over the next five years.

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is a mainland ecological island located in the North Island of New Zealand. Surrounded by the world’s longest pest-proof fence, it's visited by thousands of walkers and birdwatchers every year.

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In August 2019, Stuff ventured along the Rangitīkei River last year to examine the site of the exposed landfill.

The projects to be funded were the creations of iwi, community groups and charities trying to restore damaged and polluted waterways.

The largest project is in Northland, where the Ko Waitangi Te Awa Trust is working to restore the Waitangi River, which flows with total funding of $10.5m, including $2.5m from the Freshwater Improvement Fund.

Another North Island Te Ika a Maui project to get funding is the Maungatautari To Pirongia Ecological Corridor Project, which will fund biodiversity planting between the predator-proof fences mountain Maungatautari, and the Pirongia Forest Park.

Funding has also been allocated to restore the waterways in the Moehau region in the Coromandel, the Bay of Plenty’s Uertara Estuary, Taranaki’s Tangaroa Stream, and Gisborne’s Uawa River.

Riparian planing and wetlands retoration would be funded on Hawke’s Bay's Tukipo and Pōrangahau rivers.

Waterways in the South Island Te Wai Pounamu that will benefit from funding include Nelson’s Wakapuka River, Wetlands in the Tasman region, and Canterbury's Waikēkēwai Stream.

There’s also funding for a Christchurch City Council project to work with community groups to restore the mauri of Cashmere Stream, which has been degraded since it was straightened and turned into a drainage canal.

There was also funding for a Canterbury High Country Wetland & Waterway protection project, and for two restoration projects in Otago on the Taieri River, and in the Wanaka area.

Parker said: “From the high-country slopes in Canterbury to sensitive wetlands in the Nelson region, rivers in Northland, Taranaki, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Otago – this funding will help our freshwater systems right across the country.”

“With over 100 other Jobs for Nature funded projects already announced, and more than 800 jobs created so far, this programme is having a swift and powerful impact on our regions and the environment,” he said.

“The projects announced today will build on the great work already happening across New Zealand.”