Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the purpose of the Wilding Pines Community Partnership Projects Fund?

  The purpose of creating this fund is to:

  1. Empower communities including Iwi/Hapū to take a lead role in controlling and preventing the spread of wilding pines
  2. Improve public awareness of the wilding pine problem
  3. Expand the reach of the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme
  4. Stop or prevent the spread of wilding pines
  5. Protect cultural and social values
  6. Protect native ecosystem and biodiversity values
  7. Create additional jobs as part of the governments Jobs for Nature programme
• How much money is available?

  Each project can apply for $50,000-$250,000 to spend within two years.

• When does the fund open and close?

  The fund will open to expressions of interest on 3 May for a duration of 6 weeks. The closing date will be 14 June 2021.

• What kind of activities will the funding be available for?

  The following activities will be considered during the assessment of complete applications:

  • Control of pest plants categorised as wilding conifers (see species list in application guidance document)
  • Activities that prevent wilding pines re-invasion at previously controlled sites
  • Project management required to achieve the control and/or restoration
  • Any additional liability insurance the entity needs to secure related to the work funded
  • Existing control projects
  • New control projects
• How will the funding be released?

  The funding will be released through a contractual funding agreement rather than a grant and may be released in tranches on the completion of agreed milestones.

  If your community group is not a legal entity you must have a relationship with another organisation (such as your regional council) that is a legal entity and is willing to manage the funding for your project.

  The National Programme prefers that regional councils act as the Regional Fund Manager, to ensure regional oversight of all  work carried out by the Programme in each region, including Community Partnership Projects. As such, it is anticipated that there will be a contractual relationship between each successful project and their local regional council. This will be discussed between the key parties (the applicant, relevant regional council and National Programme) once the expressions of interest have been assessed.

• Where can I find out more information?

  You can find out more information on wilding pines and the national programme on Wilding Conifer Control (wildingconifers.org.nz)

  You can also contact the programme team on wilding.pines@mpi.govt.nz with your question or feedback.

• Who is eligible to apply?

  Community groups and trusts in New Zealand. If the group/trust is not a legal entity, it will require a supporting organisation that is a legal entity to act as fund manager for the project.

• How will my application be assessed?

  As listed in the Assessment Criteria section of [Application Guidance document], the review team will use responses to questions in the application form to allocate a score on the following performance measures:

  • The level of community support for your project
  • The level of iwi and/or hapū involvement or support
  • How much wilding conifer spread will be prevented
  • The likelihood of re-invasion
  • The ecosystem, biodiversity, cultural and social values that will be protected
  • How many jobs will be created as result of your project
  • The applicant’s level of experience, approach to control, project management and health and safety
  • How dependent the project is on this funding
  • The involvement of regional councils and other parties
  • Strategic alignment with the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme’s priorities
  • Alignment or duplication with DOC funded work
  • Alignment with regional priorities
  • Community credentials of the group
• How many successful proposals will receive funding?

  We have a total of $2 million to allocate across the next 2 years. The number of accepted proposals will depend on the funding available and the amount of funding that is requested per successful application.

• My project is within a wider area being actively managed by central or regional government, but I can’t see any work in my location of interest. Why is my project not eligible?

  Areas that are being actively managed by central or regional government already have funding to carry out wilding pine control. It maybe that control work for your location of interest is the planning phase and due to start in the near future.

  Please refer to the application guidance document for a map of areas that are actively managed by central or regional government.

• Are there any specific Health and Safety requirements for successful applications?

  Because we are funding the work that you will undertake as part of your project, we will require you to meet substantial health & safety requirements. Please refer to the application guidance document and the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme’s Health and Safety Charter for more information

   

   

• How will the success of a project be monitored?

  We will use the Wilding Conifer Information System as a mechanism to report and monitor key pieces of information. We will require successful applicants to meet and report on certain milestones before we release each tranche of funding. Please refer to the application guidance document for more information.