Otago Regional Council’s annual ECO Fund has topped $1m for the first time, increasing from $918,000 last year to be spread across a wide range of applicants in six categories.
Forest & Bird New Zealand was among last years’ successful applicants, awarded almost $138,000 for their Hilltops to Sea project.
Hilltops to Sea protects "priority" habitats and species in lowland native forest, tussock, shrublands and wetlands along Otago’s coast and the Tautuku and Fleming catchments.
It does this by using multi-species predator control, and sophisticated monitoring of protected species including four tītī breeding colonies and the critically endangered pekapeka-tou-roa/longtailed bat.
"Our main challenge is predator control ... Feral cats, ferrets, stoats and wild pigs, mainly," Forest & Bird Otago projects manager Francesca Cunninghame said.
"We also invest in technology ... such as the trackers we attach to our native bats to monitor their roosting sites."
She said the ECO Fund had been a significant contributor to Forest & Bird projects.
"We find the application process very helpful."
ECO Fund assessment panel chairman Alan Somerville said this year applying would be clearer and easier.
"It’s the communities who know what matters most locally and these funding programmes can empower them to turn those great ideas into action."
The ECO Fund has distributed $2.58m to 166 applicants over the past 10 rounds since 2018, out of a total of 351 applicants seeking $7.58m.
Applications are open until the end of the month.
