Kaikoura district farmers Tim and Janet Penney said they wanted to encourage others to apply for Environment Canterbury (ECan) funding dedicated to restoring native vegetation and waterways.
The funding came through the Immediate Steps programme which was dedicating $5 million over five years to protecting and restoring freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem health.
The Kaikoura Water Zone committee has allocated $188,000 of Immediate Steps funding in its area, leaving $312,000 still available.
''Having our gullies fenced is win-win as the bush and waterways will regenerate and recover and our land and stock can be managed more efficiently,'' the Penneys said.
With fencing finished, the focus was now on controlling pests and weeds, especially banana passionfruit vines. Kaikoura zone committee chairman Ted Howard said the Penneys' project was an example of farmers partnering with ECan and other agencies towards shared conservation goals.
Immediate Steps covered two-thirds of the cost of fencing and controlling weeds on almost 10ha of bush and streams, now covenanted with the QEII National Trust.
The Penney family and the trust shared the rest of the costs, helped by a $5000 grant from the MainPower Hurunui Natural Environmental Fund.
ECan biodiversity team leader Jo Abbott said fencing waterways allowed streams to revive and native fish and birds to flourish, while also providing recreational opportunities.
''Immediate Steps is one of several funding streams targeting the protection of native habitats such as wetlands and streams,'' Dr Abbott said.
''Others include the Canterbury Biodiversity Fund which prioritises projects where biodiversity values were already high such as native bush and braided rivers, and the Honda TreeFund which helps pay for native plants.''
These funds had supported 74 projects protecting waterways, contributing towards the Ki uta ki tai - from the mountains to the sea - vision of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. Thirty-one were lowland streams, 31 in the hill country and 12 in mountain areas.
For assistance with native plantings and protecting water ways contact ECan's biodiversity team on 0800-324-636 or go to: ecan.govt.nz/biodiversity.