Central Lakes Trust (CLT) announced today the disbursement of $1.3 million in grants to deserving charitable organisations within the Central Lakes region. This latest allocation brings the total awarded for the 2023/24 financial year to $7.99 million.
Among the recipients, the Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust (SLS) received a pivotal $223,425 operational grant. This support recognises the Trust's crucial role in coordinating and amplifying the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and over 100 community and landowner groups engaged in predator control across the region.
Paul Kavanagh, Project Director of SLS says, “CLT’s generous support will be pivotal to enable us to maintain the gains that we have achieved in our project to date and to greatly increase our conservation efforts to protect our native species across our district.”
SLS's work spans a vast 163,000-hectare area, exceeding their initial target by 30,000 hectares. The Trust aims to expand this area further to 185,000 hectares by March 2025. Since 2022, they have facilitated the removal of over 35,555 predators, contributing significantly to the recovery of native species and habitat restoration.
In addition to environmental sustainability, CLT also prioritises the well-being and vibrancy of local communities. This is reflected in the $250,000 grant awarded to the Alexandra River Park Project. This project, which has been in the pipeline since 2017, aims to rejuvenate the lower Tarbert Street area in Alexandra by creating a new public space at the junction of the Mata-Au and Manuherekia rivers.
“This grant from Central Lakes Trust is a major step forward in the project to rejuvenate lower Tarbert Street and provide connection to our trails and rivers,” says Rory McLellan, Riverside Park Trust chairman. “We’re grateful to Central Lakes Trust for their support, as we continue work together with CODC on securing full funding for the project.”
Other significant grants approved in this round included $223,557 to the Whakatipu Rowing Club for their clubhouse redevelopment project and $123,855 to Food for Love to support their operations in the next financial year.