Six environmental groups in Marlborough awarded grants by Yealands

A total of $46,500 in funding has been awarded to six local environmental groups through the Yealands Wines Marlborough Sustainability Initiative (YSI), to support their efforts to protect and restore Marlborough’s natural environment.

Local not-for-profit groups and charitable organisations were encouraged to apply for funding through Yealands’ inaugural initiative, during the month of February.

The initiative has a pool of $53,500 in grants remaining, with a second round of applications opening in August.

Of the recipients, Michael Wentworth, General Manager External Relations and Sustainability at Yealands Wines, says, “We want to congratulate each of these six groups whose efforts are already making a positive impact on Marlborough’s environment. It’s our hope that these financial contributions will help them further protect our local environment.”

The recipients of funding are:

1. Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary: The Penguins of Picton project will measure the Little Blue Penguin population on the wildlife sanctuary and surrounding areas.
2. Waima Valley Ecological Restoration Society: This project aims to completely eradicate Old Man’s Beard in Waima Valley, a weed that is slowly suffocating the native bush.
3. South Marlborough Landscape Restoration Trust: This project aims to stop the spread of wilding conifers from invading regenerating native forest in the Seddon area.
4. Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Trust: The Kakariki breeding programme will promote the re-introduction of Yellow Crowned Kakariki in Marlborough.
5. The Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust: The Wilding Pine Control project aims to stop pine trees from out-competing native bush and reducing natural habitats.
6. Picton Dawn Chorus: The Garden Trap Saturation Programme will provide and install traps in home gardens to control introduced predators and restore Picton’s birdlife.

“Our initiative to improve the local Marlborough environment was a natural expansion of our existing commitment to sustainable winemaking. Given our connection with the land and community here, we recognise that we had a role in protecting it and supporting local groups who are dedicated to preserving it,” says Wentworth.

The YSI has committed a total of $100,000 of funding each year to local, environmental not-for-profits working to improve fresh water quality, preserve sensitive natural areas, and protect biodiversity in the Marlborough district.

Applications are called for on a six-monthly basis. Each charitable or not-for-profit community group can apply for individual grants of up to $10,000 each year.

The next round of applications will open on August 1, 2020 and close on August 31, 2020.

For further information on the initiative, application details, and terms and conditions, please visit https://yealands.co.nz/marlborough-sustainability-initiative.