Friends of Cromwell Cemetery is having no luck with its funding applications for rabbit proof fencing, failing to make the cut in the Otago Regional Council’s annual $1.059 million Eco fund.

The group was also declined $48,645 from Cromwell Community Board several weeks ago under the community grants scheme, to help fix the rabbit-ravaged site.

But council staff said fencing was not required and offered to work on a project plan with the parks and recreation team, also asking the group to resubmit another application in the next funding round.

Otago Regional councillor Michael Laws noted that a third of applications to its Eco fund had not made the cut, at its meeting in Dunedin on Thursday, highlighting the Cromwell Cemetery group as one of those ineligible.

“Do we need to make the criteria more explicit”? he asked.

Staff said they had tried to be very clear about eligibility, and that was outlined on the regional council website.

A total of 28 projects were shortlisted from an initial 69 applications to the Eco fund, covering a wide range of projects, from weed and pest animal control, native species protection and habitat restoration, native revegetation and regeneration and water quality.

 Included in the total 69 applications, were 28 from the wider Dunedin district area, 17 from around Queenstown Lakes, 10 from Central Otago, seven from the Clutha district and six from around Waitaki – North Otago.

The Central Otago Wilding Conifer Group received $150,000, Predator Free Cromwell $42,000 for pest control work, the Manuherikia Catchment Group received $29,000 for weed control and wetland hydrology enhancement, and the Ida Valley Catchment Group $15,000.

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