SLUI value recognised with further funding

Horizons Regional Council’s Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI) will receive a total of $4.76 million from central government’s Hill Country Erosion Fund for the next four years.

Administered by the Ministry of Primary Industries, the Hill Country Erosion Fund has $8.8 million available to local authorities for erosion control activities. Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon says this is the third time the Council has been successful in its application.

“While we are very appreciative to have received this funding once again, it is a reduction on what the programme has been receiving in the past,” says Mr Gordon.

“However, receiving over half of the available Hill Country Erosion funds not only signals support for SLUI but also reflects the scale of erosion issues in our Region.”

To date the SLUI programme has focused on completing whole farm plans, which identify areas for erosion control on a farm by farm basis, and undertaking works on farms once the plans are complete.

“We are now nearing the end of our whole farm plans programme so will look at reducing targets in this area and focus more on the works programme,” says Mr Gordon.

“Combined with a significant ratepayer contribution following our recent Long-term Plan deliberations, and the re-launched Afforestation Grant Scheme, we hope to complete a lot of extra work in the Region.”

Since it was established in 2006 SLUI has been funded by Horizons rates, landowners and central government. To date Horizons has received approximately $13 million from the Hill Country Erosion Fund.

A Landcare Research report which assessed the impact of SLUI on sediment levels in the Region’s rivers, was commissioned by Horizons in 2013. The closest scenario to how SLUI currently operates predicted the annual sediment load in rivers will reduce by 27 per cent as a result of SLUI works by 2043.

ENDS

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