# Eastern Bay of Plenty Catchments Our work is focused on increasing biodiversity and improving water quality. We do this by partnering with local community groups and individuals on environmental projects that are important to them. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T832eHRmozM) ## Projects in your backyard – Restoring our Thornton kānuka Restoring biodiversity and improving water quality couldn’t be done without our community. Volunteers undertake some of the most crucial work across our vibrant region. Every year thousands of people, roll up their sleeves and get to work helping protect our wai (water), whenua (land) and kararehe (animals). **[Get involved in a project near you.](https://www.boprc.govt.nz/living-in-the-bay/volunteer/volunteering-and-environmental-care-groups/ "Volunteering and Environmental Care Groups")** ## Funding, support and advice  For some projects, [financial support may even be available to help you](https://www.boprc.govt.nz/living-in-the-bay/community-funding/) – whether you’re a landowner, organisation, care group or even a school. Nearly 40 sustainability projects are set to launch in Bay of Plenty schools, early childhood providers and education institutions, thanks to the School Sustainability and Resilience Fund. [Read the full media release](https://www.boprc.govt.nz/your-council/news/news-and-media-releases/media-releases-2025/june-2025/school-led-sustainability-projects-set-to-roll-out-across-the-bay/ "School-led sustainability projects set to roll out across the Bay"). Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council is encouraging those with future-focused environmental projects to apply now for its Environmental Enhancement Fund. [Read the full media release](https://www.boprc.govt.nz/your-council/news/news-and-media-releases/media-releases-2024/april-2024/funding-now-available-for-environmental-improvement-projects/ "Funding now available for environmental improvement projects"). Some people might think fencing off farmland isn’t a smart decision, but that’s where local Manawahe farmer Brent Mountfort would disagree. Some people might think fencing off farmland isn’t a smart decision, but that’s where local Manawahe farmer Brent Mountfort would disagree. Some people might think fencing off farmland isn’t a smart decision, but that’s where local Manawahe farmer Brent Mountfort would disagree. Mountfort Puriri farm, located just above Matatā, is a traditional beef and sheep farm extending over 270ha of the hilly Manawahe area. Over the past three decades, Brent and his family have worked in partnership with Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council to make changes on their farm for the benefit of the environment and wider community. Today, almost 50% (130ha) of Mountfort farm has been retired and planted with more than 30,000 native trees, with a goal to improve the biodiversity within the farm and the wider catchment area. Brent Mountfort is one of hundreds of landowners around the region who are currently signed up to an Environmental Programme (EP) with Regional Council. An EP is a management plan, developed in collaboration with the landowner, that sets out actions that will help protect and restore biodiversity, conserve soil and improve water quality. These EPs not only benefit the individual landowners, but also whole communities living in the area. Brent has always been passionate about conservation work, thanks to his mum Antoinette and dad Chris. Antoinette previously worked for the Department of Conservation and through her work began the Mountfort’s long-standing relationship with Regional Council (then called Environment Bay of Plenty). Since then, Brent and his family have worked closely with their local Land Management Officer’s (LMO), following their guidance to make positive changes on their property. Brent says this ongoing relationship has been the key to ensuring the right project gets done. “Without Regional Council being on board and helping with fencing and advice, a lot less would be done. Our Land Management Officers have all been great. They are good to talk to, they listen, and they come up with great ideas.” Most recently, Brent partnered with Regional Council and QEII National Trust to deer fence and replant a remnant bush block on a section of steep erosion prone land. This project was co-funded by Regional Council through the Ministry for the Environment’s Public Waterways and Ecosystem Restoration Fund. Regional Council Land Management Officer Kendall Smith says this work will have long-term benefits for freshwater quality in the catchment. “This latest project has been a vision of Brents for a long time and to see it come to fruition has been incredible. It will be a fantastic tool for the community to show how native bush can regenerate and flourish when deer and stock are excluded. “This work will have massive benefits for the environment with the new plants acting as an interception zone, filtering sediment and nutrients before reaching the stream which will improve water quality in the long term.” While this project provides many benefits for the whole catchment, Brent says fencing off this land also makes good sense in terms of his farm management. “The gully we just deer fenced has always been an issue with erosion and wandering animals. Now, I have a new raceway to take my animals across and a great fence, so it really does work in with my farm.” Brent’s advice for others who are consider making changes on their land is: “Change happens over a very long time. You don’t have to do everything in one go; you just have to do something.” ## Relevant links To ensure our waterways are left in a better state for the future, we must prevent excess nutrients from entering them by working together as a community to improve the way we use our land. Our land is under pressure through changes in land use along with adverse effects from pollution, climate change and invasive species. The Onekawa Te Mawhai Regional Park, on the spectacular headland between the Ōhiwa Harbour and Bryans Beach, was opened by the Upokorehe hapū and Regional Council in 2010. Volunteers undertake some of the most crucial work across our vibrant region. Across the region we have more than 60 care groups who need your help to protect and restore our environment. Coast Care is a coastal restoration programme, run in close partnership with local communities, local authorities and schools that aims to restore and protect the sand dunes along our Bay of Plenty beaches. Biodiversity is the many kinds of living things (plants, animals, insects, micro-organisms) on Earth, in a specific place or ecosystem. Our teams work closely with the community to help protect and restore biodiversity around the rohe. The Eastern Bay of Plenty is prone to flooding and one of our core roles is to help minimise the impacts of flooding on people, properties and livelihoods. We are spoilt for choice with where to swim, surf or fish - but not all our waterways are safe to swim. Heavy rain, bacteria and animal waste can all affect the health of our water.