A partnership between local and national agencies has pledged more than $6 million for conservation in Hawke's Bay over the next five years.
The Te Matau a Maui project will aim to co-ordinate pest control and conservation across 26,000 hectares of land - consisting of conservation areas and farmland - between Waimarama and Havelock North.
It will kick off early next year, jointly funded by the Aotearoa Foundation, the Department of Conservation (DoC), Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC), Landcare Research and Cape Sanctuary.
The council has agreed to commit $1.5 million to the project, including $300,000 worth of staff time over the next five years. DoC, meanwhile, has committed $1.6 million and Landcare Research $700,000.
Cape Sanctuary was already investing about $600,000 annually.