During the March round of the Biodiversity Fund, 20 applications were received requesting a total of $81,000 for grants. Grants totalling $62,000 were awarded to 19 different applicants. The funded projects include initiatives for revegetation, predator control, and fencing, all aimed at protecting, enhancing, and managing indigenous biodiversity in Dunedin.

The Biodiversity Fund recently supported an application from Paula Cross, a local resident of Portobello, with a grant for additional planting at Seaton's Bush. The property, cherished by the Cross family for six generations, is named after James Seaton, an early Scottish settler of Ōtepoti Dunedin.

Seaton's Bush is protected by a QEII covenant and ongoing efforts at this property contribute to the overall biodiversity of the broader Otago Peninsula. The area has significant historical and ecological value as it contains diverse plant species, including a magnificent ribbonwood tree. The funding received will enable supplementary planting to further enhance Seaton's Bush.

The next round of DCC’s Biodiversity Fund is open for applications from 1 - 30 September 2023. The Biodiversity Fund provides grants to support native planting projects, trapping, weed control, and fencing around regenerating native vegetation. All fund details are available on the Dunedin City Council website. Any landowner or community group working to enhance biodiversity across Dunedin is encouraged to apply.

Please contact the DCC’s Biodiversity Advisor, Zoe Lunniss, for an informal chat about your project and how the Fund may be able to assist. Email biodiversity@dcc.govt.nz or phone 03 477 4000.