Biodiversity HB funds new projects

Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay has announced the first ever recipients of the Biodiversity HB Project Fund, exactly one year since the launch of the Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Action Plan.

The charity’s Project Fund is a small grants programme for individuals and community groups.

Chair of the Biodiversity Hawke’s Bay Guardians Committee, Kay Griffiths spoke at the 22 May event held with the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) to celebrate the International Day of Biological Diversity, and updated everyone on the work of the past year.

“We’re really excited to move into the ‘doing’ phase with the announcement of the first recipients of our fund. It’s great to be able to recognise and support local community groups working to enhance biodiversity in Hawke’s Bay,” says Mrs Griffiths.

The first projects selected include riparian planting and maintenance at Rotongaio in Wairoa District with Ngati Pahauwera Development Trust, weed control and planting at ‘The Gap’ gravel beach near Hawke’s Bay Airport, a contribution to deer fencing at Puketitiri’s Little Bush with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hastings Forest & Bird, and rabbit enclosure plots at Central Hawke’s Bay’s Puahanui Bush with the Gwavas Charitable Trust for the Puahanui Bush.

Only established in 2018, the Biodiversity HB Project Fund relies on membership contributions from individuals, families, schools, marae, local businesses, and corporations from across Hawke’s Bay.  Corporate Guardians include EIT, Hawke’s Bay Airport, Napier City Council, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, University of Waikato, and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

Guests were encouraged to join the Biodiversity Guardians to support work on the ground. Project Manager, Genevieve Bennett said “we want to keep growing and every contribution really adds up to helps us to do even more, right across Hawke’s Bay”.

Guests also heard from Hannah Prior, Head of Programmes for BLAKE (previously the Sir Peter Blake Trust), who spoke about opportunities for young people through their ambassador programme. Sherwood School closed the evening with the waiata, Ko Ranganui.

To join the Biodiversity Guardians click here.

A big thank you to the event sponsors - EIT with the venue, the wine, advertising and media support,  Plant Hawke’s Bay sponsored the food and gifts for all the speakers were sponsored by Freemans Bay Consulting.

 Collage-of-photos-from-May2019-event-2.pdf

Large group photo (L to R): Biodiversity Hawkes Bay - Guardians Committee

Front row: Dr Amelia McQueen, Genevieve Bennett (Biodiversity Project Manager), Keiko Hashiba, Troy Duncan, Stephanie Murphy, Kay Griffiths (Chair of the Guardians), Matt Brady

Back row: Nathan Burkepile, Ngaio Tiuka, Mark Mitchell, Christine Cheyne (Guardians member representing on Foundation)

BLAKE and BiodiversityHB photo (L to R):

Shelley Ogle (BLAKE ambassador), Skye Anderson (BLAKE ambassador), Genevieve Bennett (Biodiversity Project Manager), Kay Griffiths (Chair of the Guardians), Hannah Prior (Programme director of BLAKE)

Note: BLAKE is formally the Sir Peter Blake Trust.

28 May 2019

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