Council has launched a new Environmental Grants scheme to help support environmental work within the community.

The first funding round opened on 1 August, with a closing date of 30 August. There will be a second application round later this year.

The scheme will award assistance in two categories: grants up to a value of $5,000 and grants up to a value of $20,000. Where suitable, support over several years can be considered.

There will be three funding rounds for Category 1 (August, November and March) and one main round for Category 2 (August).

Support can be in the form of money, professional ecological advice, and/or native plants, as specified in individual funding agreements.

The fund will focus on individual and community projects that do great things for our environment, especially in the areas below:

• Protecting existing native biodiversity on private and public land (e.g. weeding, planting, fencing, possum and goat control).
• Restoring connections between native ecosystems (e.g. native planting to connect or extend fragmented ecosystems).
• Enhancing native wildlife through predator control (e.g. community trapping projects on private and public land).
• Enhancing habitat for native wildlife within the Nelson Halo and coastal ecosystems.
• Restoring riparian margins
• Reducing erosion on farming and forestry land
• Reducing sediment or contaminants into freshwater.

Clare Barton, Group Manager Environmental Management, says that the new scheme will provide everyone within the Nelson City Council area with an equal opportunity to apply for funds, while ensuring great outcomes for improving the environment.

"We want to make sure that funding is available for a range of projects that will help improve Nelson's environment," says Ms Barton. "The work being done in the community is vital to our environmental well-being, and I hope this new scheme will encourage people to apply for funding and make some real gains in getting their projects to fruition."

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