Seven projects designed to enhance the local environment have been funded under Papakura Local Board’s Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme.
Pest Free Urban South, an initiative to control both pest plants and animals, receives $45,000, the Wai Care and Papakura Waste Minimisation programmes receive $32,000 and $10,000 respectively.
An Industrial Pollution Prevention Programme, primarily working alongside industry to prevent contaminants entering the area’s waterways and finding their way into the Manukau Harbour, gets $21,000, with the board’s contribution to the Manukau Harbour Forum set at $8,000.
Two other significant projects are also included, $13,000 budgeted for Papakura Stream restoration, and $14,200 allocated to Te Koiwi Pond restoration, a project that Papakura Marae has long championed, wanting to see the pond bordering the marae returned to a state that supports a wide array of plant and animal species.
Board chair Brent Catchpole says the projects all have the potential to return good outcomes for the people of Papakura and the environment.
“The pollution prevention work informs industry about its impacts on local waterways, and the Manukau Harbour Forum sees us working alongside eight other boards to restore the mauri of the harbour.
“We found more money than we first allocated to support Papakura Stream restoration this financial year, because it is a waterway that is critical to our area’s future. It’s our third year of support for an awa that spans the Hūnua Ranges to the Manukau Harbour.”
He says entering into a fifth year of support, waste minimisation work has already led to thousands of tonnes of waste being kept out of landfill, while Pest Free Urban South is new support to fund pest free initiatives that are already getting good results elsewhere.
“Te Koiwi supports a partnership approach with mana whenua and the marae to regenerate the pond and park. Ultimately funding will improve the ecosystem and it will have a huge impact if we can restore an area once largely overlooked.”
He says Wai Care is a school programme that sees students undertaking stream and marine health investigations and actions in their schools and local communities.
“It’s creating a generation that we hope will take better care of their environment than perhaps previous generations have.”
The work programme can be found here.
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