Eligibility for the Waterway Protection Fund (WPF)

Who can apply for the WPF

Funding is available in the Franklin, Papakura, Rodney and Great Barrier Island areas to all:

• landowners
• farmers and lifestyle block owners
• community and environmental groups.

The waterway protection project must be on private land with a property size of 5 hectares or over.

If you have an existing grant and have spent the funding as agreed, you can apply again for the next stage of your project.

What you can apply for

The fund targets:

• protection, enhancement or restoration of streams, waterways, wetlands and riparian margins
• reduction of contaminants by:
• fencing to exclude livestock and enhance riparian buffers
• provision of alternative water supplies
• planting native plants along watercourses.

What you need to consider

Read the Waterway Protection Fund guidelines to check the fencing standards. These are set out to ensure stock are permanently excluded from the waterway.

A minimum riparian margin of 5m wide is required as part of the funding conditions. All plants used must be ecologically sourced and appropriate to the area.

WPF assessment criteria

We will assess your grant application for:

• projected environmental benefits, including improved water quality and aquatic ecological health
• type and significance of the environment and biodiversity to be protected
• length of riparian margin that the project will protect
• the extent of community involvement in leading or being part of the project
• connections with other landowners to form partnerships and share knowledge
• feasibility and likelihood of a successfully completed project.

What the WPF will not fund

We won't fund:

• a project that may lead to a conflict of interest for us as a consent authority
• activity or work that has already been started or completed
• projects on public land
• fencing or planting which is a condition of a current or future resource consent - grant agreements for successful applicants will include a clause noting fencing and native planting supported by council grants cannot be used to secure subdivision consent for a 10-year period.

Read more information about activities we don't fund.

How to apply

Find out how to apply for the Waterway Protection Fund (WPF).