Hundreds of hours of effort have paid off, as WAI (Water Action Initiative) Wanaka gained $3M in funding from central government to employ locals in the Jobs for Nature (JFN) programme over the next three years.

“WAI has really stepped up to the challenge as we didn’t want Wanaka to miss out on the opportunity to secure Jobs for Nature funding for the Upper Clutha,” WAI Wanaka manager Julie Perry said. 

“It has been a huge commitment by all involved.” 

The funding will allow the charitable trust to employ up to 30 people in full-time and part-time roles for months at a time on a variety of environmental projects, including planting natives, pest management, wetland restoration and biodiversity enhancement projects.

Everyone who has been employed so far has been affected by the pandemic in one way or another, Julie said, and the part-time hours allowed some workers to continue to work for local businesses. 

“Some were employed full time in those other businesses prior to COVID-19 and have had their hours cut back - Jobs for Nature funding is helping those businesses to hang on to these workers,” she said. 

WAI recruited about 14 people in part and full-time roles for its first eight week “Partnering to Plant” project which established and maintained thousands of natives in the Gladstone track area. 

Julie said the response to the initial advertisement had been “overwhelming” and the team employed in the first project was a real mix of ages, from mid 20s through to early 50s. 

“No surprise that there are a lot of active and fit people within our community very keen to be involved in outdoor work,” she said. 

More employees will be needed to help with the detailed planning to link the JFN projects with work already happening across the Upper Clutha catchment, to work with landowners and understand their priorities, consider seasonal factors, and identify specific needs including the capacity of farmers to support JFN work programmes, Julie said.

Detailed planning is expected to be completed by March next year when even more workers will be needed, up to 15 full-time equivalent employees (FTE), for phase three which will continue until July 2022.

“Including the project team, we expect to have 30 plus people employed on a full or part time basis during phase three,” Julie said. Numbers will reduce to 10 FTEs from July 2022 through to the end of the project in 2023.

Julie attributed WAI’s successful funding outcome to three convincing elements supporting the Jobs for Nature application, including the recently completed Community Catchment Plan - an action plan for the Upper Clutha catchment.

Also, WAI Wanaka has been working alongside catchment groups around Lake Hāwea, Cardrona, Hāwea Flat, Maungawera and Luggate and from this experience it knows “there is tremendous willingness by local landowners to support positive environmental outcomes”.

Lastly, WAI Wanaka’s successful management of the central government funded Wanaka Water Project helped to give the government confidence that the trust is committed to achieving agreed milestones and capable of delivering what the community wants, Julie said.  

Announced in May this year, Jobs for Nature is a four year COVID-19 recovery package aimed at providing environmental funding for 11,000 jobs to support various environmental improvement projects.

PHOTO: Supplied