If you’re concerned about hill country erosion on your farm, Northland Regional Council has funding available to help.

The Hill Country Erosion Fund is a contestable fund that subsidises native tree planting projects on highly erodible land. Projects must plant at least two hectares, at 2,000 stems per hectare.

Applicants need to make their own arrangements to get the plants in the ground, with council reimbursing costs of $4,326 per hectare, plus GST for applicants who are GST registered.

Funding applications for the 2025 planting season are now open and need to be in by October this year. Funding for 2024 is already allocated.

The Hill Country Erosion Fund available for the 2025 and 2026 planting seasons only – so make the most of this support while you can if you need to tackle erosion on your land.

Senior Land Management Advisor Jenny Gillanders said now was a good time for farmers to get their applications in.

“With freshwater farm plans on the horizon, it’s prudent to start identifying and addressing areas on your farm that have problems with erosion. Planting highly erodible areas in natives reduces sediment runoff into waterways, and if you are considering planting, taking advantage of the funding makes sense,” she says.

For more information, contact a Northland Regional Council land management advisor on 0800 002 004 or email: [email protected]