Gisborne projects receive Air NZ funding

The 'Slash for Cash' team from the Tolaga Bay Heritage Charitable Trust, co-operating with the Good Carbon Farm, received funding through the Air New Zealand 'Every Corner' initiative. Photo / Tolaga Bay innovation Facebook page

A school, iwi, biochar, and food sovereignty initiatives are among the five groups in Tairāwhiti awarded a total of $50,000 from a $1.2 million funding pool put up by Air New Zealand.

The airline announced the recipients of funding in its Every Corner Project environment initiative.

In total, 115 projects have been selected, spanning a wide range of locations and communities.

The projects selected in Tairāwhiti to share a pool of $50,000 were:

• Te Kura o Mata - Transforming a disused pool into a māra kai to grow fruit, herbs, and vegetables, teaching sustainable food practices and strengthening food sovereignty for whānau.
• The Good Carbon Farm - Collaborating with Tolaga Bay Heritage Charitable Trust to convert cyclone-displaced forestry slash into biochar with a mobile unit, gifting it to community gardens across Tairāwhiti to boost soil health and food production.
• Tairāwhiti Environment Centre - Expanding a community composting hub to process up to 2m³ of waste weekly, with workshops, tours, and resources to promote home composting.
• Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust - Relocating and replanting the culturally significant Rene Orchiston harakeke collection to create a dedicated toi garden for local weavers.
• Ngatapa School - Building a tunnel house to grow native plants and vegetables, supporting community eco-education, with produce shared through a local koha stall.

“The project ensures no corner of New Zealand is left behind in the effort to restore and regenerate our natural environment,” said airline chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer Kiri Hannifin.

More than 640 applications were received from registered charities, schools/kura and hapū. The calibre of applications was so impressive that the airline increased its contribution to $1.2m.

Projects selected include native planting, wetland restoration, establishing rainwater harvesting systems, building community compost hubs, and installing predator control networks to protect threatened plant and animal species.

Hannifin said the level of response has been nothing short of inspiring.

“New Zealand is intrinsically linked to and reliant on nature, whether that’s for economic, tourism or trade reasons, or simply because we enjoy being in nature and the outdoors.

“We all have a part to play, and it’s been humbling to see just how many New Zealanders are working tirelessly to protect and enhance the things that make our natural environment here so unique.”

The airline’s domestic port teams – Air New Zealand staff who know their communities best – were tasked with reviewing and selecting the successful projects for their areas.

“Our people have loved reading the applications and seeing the passion and care for nature in their local areas. They were very proud to select the projects for their own communities, and I know they will watch their success with great enjoyment,” Hannifin said.

Funding will be distributed by the end of June, with projects set to begin within the next 12 months.