Environmental initiatives within Franklin have received a $240,000 boost.
Franklin Local Board has approved it work programmes for the financial year, including its Infrastructure and Environmental Services programme, which contains two $60,000 budget lines.
The first is for Waiuku Zero Waste’s business and community education programme, and the second for the board’s Waterways Protection Fund.
The board recently made four significant grants under the fun. Member Alan Cole says that reflects better community understanding of the support the board can offer those with fencing and planting projects designed to reduce the potential for erosion and contamination around streams, wetlands and waterways.
“Our efforts to make the fund more widely known have reached the community. We know people are doing good things, so it’s great they are accepting the help we can offer.”
The next largest budget was $30,000 for Pest Free Franklin Te Arahikoi.
Three initiatives were budgeted around $20,000, Pukekohe’s Industrial Pollution Prevention Programme, Te Korowai o Papatūānuku, and the CREST Programme.
Landowner engagement around the Papakura Stream Restoration Project, which unites the neighbouring Manurewa and Papakura boards with Franklin because the stream runs through all three board areas, was budgeted $14,600.
And the board is going looking for bats too, allocating $10,000 to a Finding Franklin Bats; Te rapa nga pekepeka o Franklin, a project looking at native bat populations and how to protect and enhance their colonies and habitats.
The other significant budget line is for the board’s support of the Manukau Harbour Forum.
Auckland Council’s recent release of its Manukau Harbour State of the Environment Report was widely welcomed in the south of the city.
Board chair Andy Baker was instrumental in establishing the Forum in 2011 and says the health of the Manukau is critical to the area.
“A decade on it is good to have this report but the challenge will be how everyone with an interest in the harbour can work together.
The State of the Environment Report draws on data from 11 technical reports to provide an environmental health check of the region's air, land and water, including for the Manukau.
The board’s work programmes are all in the 22 June meeting agenda here.
