November 13, 2015
$1m boost for te mana o Horowhenua
The Government is to put $980,000 into projects to clean up Lake Horowhenua.
Environment Minister Nick Smith says it comes from the $5 million Te Mana o Te Wai Fund, which was announced in Budget 2014 in partnership with the Maori Party to support iwi and hapu to improve the water quality of their local freshwater bodies.
It will be spent on scientific assessment of the lakebed sedimentation and native fish populations, community planting days, an education programme, development of a plant nursery, completion of stormwater treatment upgrades and the repairing of fish barriers.
Additional funding will come from Horizons Regional Council and Horowhenua District Council, with support from the Department of Conservation and the Lake Domain Board.
Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox says Lake Horowhenua is known as the heartbeat of Muaupoko, and the grant recognises the importance of the lake as an ancient taonga valued across many dimensions of the Muaupoko culture.
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