increase font size
Funding is available to all landowners within the Southland region looking to do projects that enhance water quality.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
Funding is available to all landowners within the Southland region looking to do projects that enhance water quality, with up to 50% of the costs covered by the council. The total funding available is $140,000.
Environment Southland's general manager community and engagement Sam Rossiter-Stead says the funding is designed to support landowners who want to take action on environmental improvements.
"If you've identified ways to improve the environment on your property but haven't had the means to follow through, this funding could be the key to making it happen."
The Environment Southland funding is divided into two categories, one for land management and the other for native planting.
The Land Sustainability Mitigations Fund is designed to support landowners in implementing practical measures that contribute to improved freshwater outcomes.
Projects eligible for funding include fencing for critical source areas, constructing and fencing wetlands, building detainment bunds, fencing gullies, planting erosion-control poles, installing bark chip bioreactors, and undertaking wetland restoration.
Through this fund, Environment Southland will cover 50% of project costs, up to a maximum of $5,000.
The Southland Native Planting Fund also covers 50% of project costs, up to $3,000. It supports native planting adjacent to waterways, in wetlands, for forest restoration, in critical source areas, and on retired farmland.
To be eligible for funding, projects must be discussed with an Environment Southland land sustainability officer before submitting an application.
All projects must be completed within the financial year, with invoices submitted by 15 June, 2026.
For more information, contact Environment Southland to discuss your projects with a land sustainability officer on 0800 76 88 45.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
From nitrogen limits to ecosystem restoration –farmers and catchment groups are leading a new wave of environmental care, says DairyNZ.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes a recent court decision which granted a stay on rules in the Southland Water and Land Plan until legislative changes can be made by government.
Environment Southland says it has now ring-fenced $375,000 for new funding initiatives, aimed at enhancing water quality.
Meat co-operative, Alliance has met with a group of farmer shareholders, who oppose the sale of a controlling stake in the co-op to Irish company Dawn Meats.
Rollovers of quad bikes or ATVs towing calf milk trailers have typically prompted a Safety Alert from Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to fostering a safer farming culture across New Zealand.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
A group of Kiwi farmers are urging Alliance farmer-shareholders to vote against a deal that would see the red meat co-operative sell approximately $270 million in shares to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
In a few hundred words it's impossible to adequately describe the outstanding contribution that James Brendan Bolger made to New Zealand since he first entered politics in 1972.
Dawn Meats is set to increase its proposed investment in Alliance Group by up to $25 million following stronger than forecast year-end results by Alliance.
OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.
OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.
