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Funding boost available for NZ access projects

Posted under: Media release

Published 3 February 2016

Projects to improve access to the New Zealand outdoors are invited to apply for funding through the second 2015-2016 funding round of the New Zealand Walking Access Commission's Enhanced Access Fund.

The fund is open to individuals and groups, and is managed by the New Zealand Walking Access Commission to support projects that provide free, certain, enduring and practical outdoor access for the public.

The Commission's chief executive Mark Neeson said $63,000 (excluding GST) had been made available in 2015-2016, with $28,660 (excluding GST) awarded in the first round of funding.

A maximum of $25,000 may be allocated for any one project and applications close on 31 March 2016.

“Establishing enduring public access is of vital importance to community projects across New Zealand, but the reality is it's harder to raise money for legal costs than for trail building.

“The Enhanced Access Fund is there to support individuals and groups around New Zealand that are doing fantastic work to help improve and develop access opportunities. It is our pleasure to support access projects for the benefit of New Zealanders today, and for future generations.”

Funding will be prioritised towards projects designed to obtain certain and enduring access, such as negotiations to secure access agreements, legal or survey costs of obtaining access, or the cost of obtaining Resource Management Act consents.

Other initiatives such as signage, installation of stiles and other activities that improve existing public access are also eligible.

In the five years the Enhanced Access Fund has been available, funding has been awarded to 81 projects across New Zealand.

In the previous round of funding, eight projects across New Zealand were awarded a total of $28,660 to cover the legal costs of formalising public access routes, surveying costs and the costs of signage and information boards.

The projects approved in the first funding round of 2015-2016 include a walkway from Cargill's Castle to Tunnel Beach in Dunedin proposed by Cargill's Castle Trust, sections of the national Te Araroa Trail and a Rural Women New Zealand project to establish access to Castledowns Wetlands in Southland.

More information is available in the Enhanced Access Fund section of the New Zealand Walking Access Commission's website, at www.walkingaccess.govt.nz.