The construction of fish barriers and willow removal in Central Otago are some of the environmental projects to get funding from the Otago Regional Council.
In a statement, ORC consents manager Alexandra King said the council had waived more than $33,000 of consenting and monitoring fees for nine environmental projects in Otago in the past financial year.
The fees waived included more than $6000 for Hawksburn Station to remove willow to help restore a stream in Earnscleugh, nearly $2200 for Ida Valley Catchment Group to remove willow in Poolburn Gorge and more than $3800 for the Manuherekia Catchment Group to build fish barriers and galaxiid protection in the Thomson’s Creek Catchment Project in Omakau.
The council’s consent fee support fund was developed to help with the consent and monitoring fees of projects with an environmental benefit.
Applications for the 2024-25 financial year support fund were now open.
Under the annual fund, the council could waive the cost for consent fees up to $10,000 per application and if they were then compliant with consent conditions, their compliance fees could also be waived.
