Assistance through a riparian management programme is being offered to landowners as the Bay of Plenty Regional Council prepares for the new financial year.

The council's land resource manager, Simon Stokes, says the wet landscape and recent storm events have caused extensive erosion and Eastern Bay farmers and landowners are seeking assistance from the council.

Hill erosion in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

'We have a riparian management programme which provides a 25 per cent funding grant,” says Simon.

'It's designed to work with landowners to reduce erosion and to storm proof their farm.

'Any form of erosion reduces the farm's ability to function from stock and vehicle access to growing grass and trees.

'Land management officers can help farmers and landowners assess damage to hills and streambanks.

'They can provide advice on how best to manage a site that has eroded or how to carry out preventative erosion control.”