The Stephenson Fund was established in 2017 to provide support for stewardship within QEII covenants and to enhance our partnerships with covenantors.

Since then, it has had six funding rounds enabling over 150 projects across the country, helping landowners undertake covenant enhancement work. Projects funded include weed and predator control, improving visitor facilities and upgrading fencing. The fund recently opened for its seventh round, with applications open until 3 October.

One of our landowners from Central Otago, Heather Pennycook, applied for The Stephenson Fund to assist with the Pennycook Forest Restoration project. Their funding was approved fora $3,690 grant, which they used over three volunteer planting days, across a 13-month period. 290 trees were planted amongst broom, bracken and brambles, and possum and rat traps were set across the same area of forest. The result has seen a 100% planting success rate leading to an increased visible presence of trees on the land.  

Up in Whangārei, The Stephenson Fund helped landowners cut a kilometre of trapping lines through regenerating bush on their covenant to establish a new trapping network as part of the Prince Predator Control project. They received $2,400 of funding and installed five AT220 automatic resetting traps. The landowners are impressed with the difference the new traps have made.

If you have a project in your covenant that you think could benefit from The Stephenson Fund, find out more about the application criteria and how to apply here. If you would like site-specific advice or want to discuss whether your project could be eligible, contact your regional representative.  
 
Applications close 3 October 2021.