5 Aug 2010

More funding for hill country erosion project

2:40 pm on 5 August 2010

A project to minimise erosion on hill country farms in the Manawatu-Whanganui region is to get another $7.5 million in government funding.

More than 300 farms covering more than 200,000 hectares are taking part in the programme, which was launched in 2007 to minimise erosion on hill country farms.

Manawatu-Whanganui Regional Council hopes to add at least another 100 farms over the next year as a result of the new funding.

It says farmers have so far put in more than 150 kilometres of fencing and planted trees on more than 3000 hectares of hill country land.

Environmental management group manager Craig Mitchell says 700 hectares of land have also been retired.

The council says about 65% of hill country farms in New Zealand are in the Manawatu-Whanganui region.