Marae-based group receives grant | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Community workers returning the "life-force" of a Greytown waterway have won plaudits on top of grants from World Wildlife Fund New Zealand.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the unique WWF Habitat Protection Fund, which has partnered with more than 200 community groups across New Zealand to invest more than $2.5 million in grassroots conservation.

The Papawai Community Trust, a Papawai Marae-based group in Greytown, won funding for the Papawai Stream Care project as one of 18 recipients in the latest WWF funding round.

The marae is working with the Greytown community to restore the mauri - or life-force - of the Papawai Stream, and protecting the waterway from nutrient runoff from surrounding farmland.

The project seeks to improve water quality in the stream and biodiversity values by clearing the waterway of invasive weeds and exotic tree species and planting native riparian vegetation along the banks.

Greytown schools figure among volunteers who have planted and grown trees alongside the stream.

Peter Rewi, Papawai Community Trust chairman, said the project had seen rich life return to the stream, including fish.

"We have even seen the return of eels to the stream as a result of the stream restoration," Mr Rewi said.

He said the donation from WWF New Zealand Habitat Protection Fund would go towards clearing willow trees from the Papawai Stream area and planting native vegetation along the stream flowing behind the marae.

WWF New Zealand established the Habitat Protection Fund in 2000 in partnership with The Tindall Foundation.

Since the launch of the specialist fund, WWF New Zealand has partnered with volunteer groups on more than 400 projects to protect areas of high conservation significance in their communities.

The organisation this week joined forces with another 18 communities to protect and conserve nature in their own backyards with projects as diverse as dune restoration near Wanganui, the reintroduction of grey-faced petrels back to a mainland reserve near Gisborne, and pest and weed control on a braided river in the South Island.

Over the last 10 years, WWF estimates that all of the projects combined have contributed more than 5 million volunteer hours to conservation.

Marc Slade, WWF New Zealand terrestrial conservation programme manager, is encouraged by the number and diverse range of groups applying for the Habitat Protection Fund;

"It is inspiring to see such strong enthusiasm from Kiwis to protect nature in their own backyards and we are thrilled to support them in achieving their conservation goals.

"Biodiversity is in significant decline both globally and locally to such an extent that the UN has declared this year to be the International Year of Biodiversity with the goal of safeguarding nature and reducing biodiversity loss. Communities across the country play a vital role in helping to protect and restore New Zealand's cherished landscapes," Mr Slade said.

"There is a great opportunity for the Government to fund volunteer groups committed to protecting our threatened ecosystems and the species that call them home."

The Habitat Protection Fund has two funding rounds each year.