Media Statements - $195,000 for Community Conservation Groups

5/1/05

Conservation and environment groups will benefit from 77 community grants to protect and rehabilitate wildlife habitats or care for sick and injured wildlife.

Environment Minister Judy Edwards said the Community Conservation Grants Scheme was one of a number of incentive programs to encourage people to become involved in nature conservation.

“The grants reflect the Government’s desire to engage the community in activities that help protect the biodiversity of our mega-diverse State,” Dr Edwards said.

“They also value and reward the work that wildlife carers do for the community. Caring for wildlife is often a 24 hour a day commitment, and takes true dedication.”

This year’s major grants included:

Friends of Western Swamp Tortoise - $5,500 to assist in habitat rehabilitation for the Western Swamp Tortoise in the Mogumber Nature Reserve and Ellenbrook areas;
Lower Moore River Working Group - $5,000 to assist in weed removal and rehabilitation of the Silver Creek Reserve and the nearby river area;
Green Skills Inc - $5,000 to help fund the Great Southern Biodiversity Restoration Project, which involves the establishment of six on-farm biodiversity and salt land habitat and re-vegetation sites in the Shire of Denmark;
Nickol Bay Naturalists’ Club - $5,000 to fund the documentation of the flora and vegetation on selected islands of the Dampier Archipelago near Karratha;
Fairbridge Western Australia Inc - $5,000 to assist the conservation of marri and kingia woodlands at Fairbridge, near Pinjarra;
Yongergnow Inc - $5,000 for a program investigating malleefowl chick survivorship and food availability;
World Wide Fund for Nature and the cities of Armadale and Cockburn and Town of Kwinana - $5,775 to improve nature appreciation and assist the community to manage wetlands for conservation;
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Urban Landcare Group - $5,000 for the annual Community Tree Planting Day and Junior Landcare Tree Planting Days and for revegetation works along Gribble Creek, a seasonal watercourse in Kalgoorlie-Boulder; and
Hillman Landcare Zone (West Arthur) - $4,500 to implement the Nangip Creek Management Plan.

Dr Edwards said the Conservation Council of WA would also be granted $60,000 to continue its work promoting and progressing nature conservation in WA. The Urban Bushland Council of WA would also receive $20,000 to fund a co-ordinator to help community groups manage bushland areas throughout the metropolitan area.

In addition, $20,000 in small grants was provided to 41 wildlife carers to help them continue their voluntary work - caring for sick and injured wildlife.

Applications were assessed by a panel that included representatives from the Department of Conservation and Land Management and the Department of Environment.

Details of grants programs for community groups are outlined in the booklet Biodiversity Incentive Programs in Western Australia, available from the Department of Environment and the Department of Conservation and Land Management. It is also available on CALM’s website at http://www.naturebase.net

Minister's office: 9220 5050