Environment Fund
Applications for grants to support riparian and wetland fencing are closed. No further inquiries will be taken.
We're proposing to pause grant funding from the Environment Fund for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while staff focus on implementing new regulations. This will have no impact on rates, with any retained funds being used to support the new regulatory requirements.
Funding for retirement and planting of erodible land is still open.
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Our fund will only contribute towards lowland riparian fencing until new regulations come into force unless the project goes beyond what is required in the regulations. |
Dates for required stock exclusion are:
- 2023 for dairy farms (so this is the last year we will fund riparian fencing on dairy platforms)
- 2025 for beef cattle and dairy support properties
What is the Environment Fund?
We can contribute towards the cost (subject to criteria) for projects like:
- Fencing off rivers, streams, drains, wetlands and coast
- Fencing for soil conservation / erosion control and land retirement
- Dune restoration
- Pest control - see the Bio-fund information
Who can apply?
Funding can be allocated to individuals and voluntary groups for eligible projects; this may include landowners, community and conservation groups, local Māori groups and schools.
Important things to know
- There are funding caps – based on the size of the property. Funding for lifestyle blocks below 10ha is discretionary only, based on the issue to be managed.
- Planning to fence off waterways? Make sure there’s an alternative stock water source before you apply for funding.
- You can’t apply retrospectively for funding of projects you’ve already started/completed.
- Funding is allocated based on the relative merit of the project (it’s not first in first served).
- Projects must be of long-term benefit to the local environment and show evidence of good resource management/good farming practice.
- Projects designed for personal or commercial profit, required under resource consent or simply to beautify a site, are not eligible for funding.
- Boundary fencing will not be funded, unless the fence is designed to keep livestock out of a waterway which is on the property boundary.
- There’s a limit to the number of grants you can get in successive years.
This map displays the location of where Environment Fund grants have been allocated across Northland in the 2022-2023 financial year.
These figures include central-government funded projects administered by the Land Management Team.
Kaipara catchment funding
If you are a landowner in the Kaipara catchment your funding stream has moved from the Northland Regional Council’s Environment fund to the new Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR) Programme.
For information about the grants and funding available through the KMR Programme, and to register you interest, visit: kmr.org.nz/grants-funding
Contact us to apply
If you think your project might qualify for funding, contact us.
Our land management staff will help clarify eligibility for funding and take you through the process.