More than $350,000 will be spent on Howick Local Board’s environment work programme in the 2019/2020 year.
The board will support eight projects focused on controlling pest plants and animals, improving water quality and stream environments, reducing landfill waste and will work with schools to provide environmental education.
The total value is $355,250, funded from the board’s existing budgets for local environmental programmes.
The projects are:
- Pest free Howick $150,000
- Howick stream improvement $80,000
- Industrial Pollution Prevention $29,000
- Sediment related water quality testing $25,000
- Household hazardous waste collection day $11,250
- Para Kore programme for business waste minimisation $15,000
- Waste minimisation in schools $40,000
- Tāmaki Estuary Environmental Forum $5000
Board chair David Collings says Pest Free Howick’s budget increases by $40,000. "The work Pest Free has done has been amazing, particularly around engaging our young people."
The Howick Stream programme’s budget increases $19,500 and Mr Collings says a range of valuable work will be funded, including a contribution towards the Ōtara waterways project coordinator, a ‘neat street’ event in either Flatbush or Botany aimed at reducing illegal dumping, and increasing awareness of what do with waste.
In the business waste space, the Para Kore project will seek to educate Howick Village businesses on the effects their waste may be having on the environment.
"We are hoping that will see a reduction in waste through ‘the three Rs’ - recycling, recovery and reuse," Mr Collings says.
