The grant to Otago Fish & Game for weed control work at the Lake Dunstan wetland was one of 28 environmental projects sharing in nearly $920,000 from the Otago Regional Council’s 2026 Eco Fund.
The $9773 grant, awarded in the latest funding round, will support ongoing efforts to control damaging weeds within the Bendigo Wildlife Management reserve, a 152ha wetland at the head of the lake.
One of the project’s leaders, Otago Fish & Game officer Cole Briggs, said the grant would provide crucial funding for the team’s work with invasive plant control within the reserve.
"We are mostly targeting crack willow, which covers much of the 152ha of the wetland and is smothering historic gravel beds and wetland habitat."
Lupin was also being targeted, though it was "not the dominant weed", Mr Briggs said.
The aim was "to improve habitat for waterfowl and enhance breeding success".
Fish & Game had already carried out several willow control operations at the reserve, but the new funding would enable it to do more, he said.
Two areas would be prioritised — the western boundary of the reserve, and an island within the delta accessible only during low flow.
While it was the first time Eco Fund money had been granted specifically for weed management at Bendigo, the scale of the problem had not grown — it was simply a long-standing challenge, Mr Briggs said.
In a statement, the regional council said the community-led environmental projects funded through this year’s Eco Fund spanned biodiversity restoration, wetland and catchment restoration, predator and rabbit control, erosion management, native planting and environmental education.
Cr Chanel Gardner said the funding reflected the major work already being done by communities across Otago.
"The strength of this year’s applications reflects the commitment of communities across Otago to improving their local environment," Cr Gardner said.
"Every dollar in the Eco Fund comes from ratepayers, so our responsibility is to ensure funding is allocated to projects that are well planned, deliver measurable environmental outcomes and provide lasting value for the wider community."
The year’s round attracted 53 applications seeking more than $2.2 million — double what was available, underlining the increased demand for the programme.
Cr Gardner said the panel faced tough calls given the quality of applications, but the process itself was to direct funding "where it could achieve the greatest benefit."
Grants this round ranged from $51,100 to $306,600 across six categories, including weed removal and revegetation, sustained rabbit management incentives and hill country erosion management.
Since starting in 2018, the Eco Fund had contributed more than $3.6m to 193 projects across Otago, she said.
