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

Since then, there have been six funding rounds with over 150 projects funded across the country to landowners improve their covenants. The types of projects that receive funding are varied and include weed and predator control, enhancing visitor facilities and upgrading fencing. The fund is currently open for its seventh round, and applications can be made up until 3 October.

All the information you need to apply for a grant through this year’s funding round is here on our website. We recommend talking to your regional representative for site-specific advice or to discuss whether your project might be eligible for funding.

The Patitapu Farming Co. Fencing project had a goal to exclude deer and goat from four QEII covenants in the Tararua region. The landowner applied for funding and received $17,700 to top-up existing standard fences – including some with full deer netting – to exclude deer and goats from four QEII covenants covering diverse bush habitats in the Tararua region. Funding was also used to eliminate remaining deer inside the covenants once the fencing was complete.

Weed control is a key issue for landowners and the Stephenson Fund can help alleviate this problem and improve the biodiversity within covenants. Langs Beach Estate is in a high biodiversity area containing a diverse range of native plant and animal species.

A weed control project led by the estate’s residents association was able to secure a $8,000 grant through The Stephenson Fund, to support a long-term plan to control and eradicate weeds in 18 QEII bush covenants. The project has made significant progress in treating well-established invasive weeds, as well as raising awareness of weed control and the need for ongoing action amongst the group’s members.