Call for better QEII funding

Federated Farmers wants the Government to double its funding for the QEII National Trust to ensure it can continue to meet demand from landowners.

The organisation’s vice president, Colin Hurst, says the trust has a stellar track record of working with farmers to permanently protect special areas of bush and wetland, but more support is needed.

“It’s an utter disgrace that QEII’s base government funding has remained unchanged at $4.3 million for a decade, despite rising demand for its help.”

The QEII National Trust’s core function is to encourage protection of natural and cultural features on private land.

The trust partners with landowners who voluntarily protect their land without selling or donating it.

Covenants ensure threatened species and special areas of land are protected for future generations in perpetuity, as subsequent landowners can’t alter this protection.

Covenants cover 187,774 hectares (more than double the size of Tongariro National Park), and most of the protection is on farms.