South Waikato Environmental Initiatives (SWEI)
About the South Waikato Environmental Initiatives Fund
About the South Waikato Environmental Initiatives Fund
The South Waikato Environmental Initiatives Trust is a unique group which distributes money each year to landowners in the South Waikato District who would like to:
-
Fence or plant up waterways margins on their farm
-
Fence or plant up wetland areas on their farm
The SWEI group will provide money towards such projects at the following rates:
-
$2 per metre of fencing
-
$3.50 per plant
How do I apply?
This grant round is annual with applications closing on 1 March each year. If you want to know a little more about the process, please access the flyer below:
Recent allocations
The SWEI Committee was set up to administer and distribute funds that are paid from Carter Holt Harvey Kinleith Pulp and Paper Mill, as a condition of their wastewater discharge consent into the Waituna and Kopakorahi Streams that flow into Lake Maraetai.
The SWEI distributes approximately $30,000 of funding annually towards works, which will improve the natural environment with priority given to catchment care.
To ensure transparency in distributing the funds, the SWEI Committee undertakes site visits to check that the work has been completed to the necessary standard. Following this the applicants are reimbursed to the amount approved by the Committee.
The SWEI Committee met on 19 March 2010 and assessed 17 funding applications for fencing and planting of waterways and wetlands in the district. The Committee granted 16 of the applications totalling, $38,300. One application was refused, as it did not meet the appropriate funding criteria. Of the 16 applications, three were from schools, two from stream care groups one from a local community group and 10 were from farmers in the South Waikato District.
The Committee had excessive levels of funding due to funding not being up lifted by applicants following last years allocation of funding. As part of the funding agreement the applicant is required to uplift the funding before 1 April each year, otherwise the funding is forfeited.