MORE FUNDING FOR VICTORIA’S LANDCARE GROUPS
Friday 20th July, 2018
The Andrews Labor Government has announced almost $2 million in funding for Victoria’s Landcare and other environmental volunteers in the latest round of the Victorian Landcare Grants program.
Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing today announced a 69 local Landcare groups received a total of $312,485in funding.
Gippsland Intrepid Landcare will receive $5,945 to prove young people with the opportunity to undertake environment work, immerse themselves in the Gippsland environment and learn more about Landcare. Woodside Landcare group will receive $17,800 to continue their vision to connect the vegetation of the coastal strip to the Mullungdung State Forest. The corridors will allow for movement of animals and plant genetics across the Gippsland Plains. The corridors will have the added benefit of providing shelter and shade for stock and act as windbreaks to reduce wind
The Labor Government will fund 363 applications through the Victorian Landcare Grants program, including 143 project grants, 218 support grants and two start-up grants.
The funds are used to support on-ground works and community projects including weed control, pest animal control, protection of habitat, revegetation, and community education.
The support grants will assist Landcare groups with insurance, incorporation and operating costs.
The Victorian Landcare Grants are helping to implement the Government’s long-term biodiversity plan – Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037.
In 2016-17 the Labor Government committed $18 million over four years to increase support to Landcare, bringing investment in Landcare support to more than $9 million per year.
This includes funding for 78 local Landcare Facilitators across the state to support groups and build the capacity of environmental volunteers.
For the full list of successful Landcare grant recipients visit: environment.vic.gov.au/grants/victorian-landcare-grants-2018-19
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing
“We’re supporting our local volunteers with these grants so they can continue caring for our wonderful natural environment here in Gippsland.”
“These grants will allow our volunteers to keep making a big difference at a grassroots level throughout Gippsland.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio
“We’re investing in the work of volunteers because they’re at the frontline in protecting Victoria’s environment.”
Victorian Landcare Grants
| Far East Victoria Landcare | Protecting Gunns Creek, Far East Gippsland | $15,293 |
This project will see the planting of 10,000 native tubestock to augment works carried out over the past 20 years. |
| Snowy West Landcare Group | Managing Opuntioid Cacti at Newmerella, Far East Gippsland | $15,410 | A steep north facing hillside adjacent to the East Gippsland Rail Trail at Newmerella has a significant infestation of Opuntioid cactus (a Weed of National Significance). It is hoped to achieve complete eradication through a project involving best management practice and GPS mapping for follow-up. |
| Friends of the Upper Nicholson Catchment Inc | FUNCi’s fauna foray | $7,800 | This project will see members of FUNCi develop a citizen science environmental monitoring program to survey threats to the biodiversity of the area culminating in the development of a pest management plan. |
| East Gippsland Landcare Network Inc. | Landcare Sustainable Agriculture: High Country | $19,895 | Enable primary producers in the High Country to undertake and adopt effective practices that increase sustainable farming landscapes, by aiming to match land type, rainfall, feed quality and availability to stock grazing pressure. The project will assist in maintaining / increasing permanent ground cover in grazing enterprises with the aim of reducing soil and nutrient movement off site. |
| Far East Victoria Landcare Inc. | Improving Soil Health and Biodiversity in Far East Gippsland 2018-2019 | $9,544 | This project aims to continue to support landholders through on-ground activities incorporating remnant protection in order to mitigate gully erosion and the planting/augmentation of several shelterbelts, along with 100 indigenous use plants for educational purposes. |
| East Gippsland Landcare Network Inc. | Plains Grassy Woodland: Landcare Revegetation | $12,839 | This project will engage with the community to raise the awareness of the significance of Plains Grassy Woodland, a nationally endangered ecological vegetation community, as well as carry out on ground environmental revegetation works to increase geographic distribution and improve species diversity. |
| East Gippsland Landcare Network Inc. | Plains Grassy Woodland: Landcare Remnant Protection | $14,375 | This project will engage with the community to raise the awareness of the significance of Plains Grassy Woodland, a nationally endangered ecological vegetation community and protect an existing remnant stand of this community. |
| East Gippsland Landcare Network Inc. | Plains Grassy Forest: Landcare Revegetation | $18,975 | This project will engage with the community to raise the awareness of the significance of Plains Grassy Forest, a nationally endangered ecological vegetation community, as well as carry out on ground environmental revegetation works to increase geographic distribution and improve species diversity. |
| Gippsland Intrepid Landcare | Getting young people protecting the Bass Coast, Strzelecki Ranges and 90 Mile Beach environments | $5,945 | This project aims to connect youth in Gippsland to their natural environment. The grant will allow for three hands-on engagement and extension events over a year in three very different environments. The three events will include a tree planting day in the Bass Coast Hills, animal surveying and weed control in the Tarra Bulga National Park and a coastal walk and weed control along the 90 Mile Beach. All three activities will provide 18-35 year olds with the opportunity to undertake environment work, immerse themselves in the Gippsland environment and learn more about Landcare. |
| Friends of Turtons Creek | Turtons Creek Citizen Science Water Quality Survey | $5,080 | Turtons Creek forms the headwaters of Tarwin River East Branch, thus providing drinking water to Dumbalk and Meeniyan, and supports a healthy waterway ecology. The creek is impacted by logging, agricultural land-use, camping and trail-bike riding. Despite these impacts, the waterway and riparian corridor supports valuable ecological values, including several threatened species of crayfish, and areas of remnant Damp Forest. The Friends of Turtons Creek want to build community awareness of these ecological values, and the need to protect our valuable and diverse waterway, through stakeholder and community engagement. |
| Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network | Nutrient & sediment reduction into the Gippsland Lakes through riparian restoration | $15,220 | The Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network (LCLN) would like to reduce the amount of sediment and nutrient entering into the Gippsland Lakes while enhancing on farm biodiversity values and improving farm productivity. They would like to fund landholders to fence off their waterways and revegetate with indigenous plants |
| Woodside Landcare Group | Mullungdung to Coast VLG | $17,800 | This project will use corridors to continue the vision to connect the vegetation of the coastal strip to the Mullungdung State Forest. The corridors will allow for movement of animals and plant genetics across the Gippsland Plains. The corridors will also have the added benefit of providing shelter and shade for stock and act as windbreaks to reduce wind induced soil erosion. |
| Kongwak Hills Landcare Group | Connecting Kongwak Communities | $19,968 | This project will enable the Kongwak Hills Landcare Group to establish 5,500 indigenous plants and enhance 3.48 ha of Damp Forest. The aim of this project is to create Biolinks for wildlife and to encourage growth of Indigenous plants, linking up previous plantings and original remnants to provide habitat for the Southern Toadlet, Brown Quail and Giant Gippsland Earthworm and other important fauna. Weed control includes removal of blackberry above and beyond the landholder’s responsibility. Wallaby guards will be established to ensure the survival of susceptible species in high wallaby grazing areas, |
| Korumburra Landcare group | Repairing Riparian zones on the Foster creek and Powlett River through community action | $20,000 | This project will establish 7,000 indigenous plants in the Foster Creek and Powlett River catchments at two separate riparian sites on private land. The project will involve fencing off two large section of creekline/gullies that are currently open to stock causing significant erosion, followed by community led riparian revegetation. Both sites have the Giant Gippsland earthworm present in areas of the sites. |
| 3 Creeks Landcare group | Riparian Re vegetation creating habitat for Threatened Species | $20,000 | This Project will establish 6,300 indigenous plants in the Powlett catchment at four large riparian and gully-sites 5.2ha on private land. The project will involve fencing off the sites that are currently open to stock causing significant erosion, weed control followed by community led revegetation. We will also be conducting weed control in an 18.5 ha patch of remnant vegetation planted by the Archies Creek Landcare group in the 1990s led by Paul Speirs. |
| Yarram Yarram Landcare Network | Landcare Mentoring Pilot in Yarram Yarram and South Gippsland Landcare Networks. | $5,000 | A mentoring program will be piloted across Yarram Yarram and South Gippsland Landcare Networks. Sixteen new landholders will be matched with mentors to develop sustainable land management goals and action plans. Mentors will receive training to provide effective support and guidance to mentees. |
| Arawata Landcare Group | Building Biota within Arawata Biomes | $18,686 | Arawata Landcare has striven to restore a largely denuded landscape over 30 years. This project seeks to build on the work it has done in the past to continue to improve our local environment. The project combines weed control and revegetation activities aimed at enhancing four significant revegetation sites and protecting a significant bushland reserve from scourge of two highly infectious weeds. |
| Bruthen & District Landcare | Bruthen Rail Trail Rehabilitation and Enhancement (continuation) | $3,025 | The project entails continuation of the Group’s work to progressively revegetate sections of the East Gippsland Rail Trail in and around Bruthen township, specifically linking sections previously rehabilitated. |
| Tambo Bluff Landcare Coastcare | War On Weeds | $5,400 | For 25 years we have successfully targeted invasive weeds including Blackberry, Boxthorn, Apple of Sodom, Briar Rose, Thistle species, Arum Lily and Agapanthus within the 40 ha wetlands and reserves of Tambo Bluff in the Ramsar-listed Gippsland Lakes. We have reduced the weed biomass by > 90% and increased native vegetation and habitat x10. Increasing human population brings new weeds e.g. Madeira Vine. Bird and animal-vectored seed dispersal in particular means continuing weed control is vital. This has been achieved by year-round group member vigilance plus the use of contractors when required. |
| Snowy River Interstate Landcare Committee | Inspired for Dry Recovery | $11,132 | The Snowy Mountain Basin area of East Gippsland has a mixture of undulating farmland in the Bendoc and Bonang localities, through to remote mountain country near Tubbut in the West. It is an important part of the Snowy River catchment. This project includes a series of inspirational presentations and workshops that will lift community capacity and result in increased skills to recover businesses and the landscape in the wake of the record dry. |
The following groups received $500 Support Grants
| · Bass Valley Landcare Group |
| · Bass Coast Landcare Network |
| · Jindivick Landcare Group Inc. |
| · Triholm Landcare Group |
| · Western Port Catchment Landcare Network |
| · Phillip Island Landcare Group Inc |
| · French Island Landcare Group Inc |
| · Phillip Island Conservation Society Inc |
| · Mt Lyall Landcare Group |
| · Friends of Picnic Point Reserve Landcare Inc. |
| · Bairnsdale Urban Landcare Group |
| · Clifton Creek Community Landcare Group |
| · Wairewa and District Landcare |
| · East Gippsland Rainforest CMN |
| · Glenaladale Landcare Group |
| · Cann Valley Landcare Group |
| · Marlo Landcare |
| · Nungurner Landcare |
| · Paynesville Coastcare Landcare Group |
| · Jarrahmond Landcare Group |
| · Lower Franklin River Land Protection Group |
| · Clydebank Landcare Subgroup |
| · Tanjil Valley Landcare Group |
| · Corner Inlet Blackberry Action Group |
| · Alberton Junior Land Care subgroup |
| · Won Wron Devon North |
| · Mountain Rivers Landcare Group |
| · Yarram Urban Landcare Group |
| · Mt. Worth and District Landcare Group |
| · Cowwarr Landcare Group |
| · Munro Landcare Sub Group |
| · Merriman Creek Landcare sub group |
| · Friends of Mount Worth State Park |
| · Binginwari Landcare group |
| · Warragul and District Urban Landcare Group |
| · Tarwin Landcare Group |
| · Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network Yinnar Yinnar South sub group |
| · Allambee Community Landcare Group |
| · Mardan/Mirboo North Landcare Group |
| · Anderson Inlet Landcare Group |
| · Wonthaggi Urban Landcare Group |
| · Bellbird Corner Riverside Reserve Management Committee |
| · Neerim District Landcare Group |
| · Nerrena Landcare Group |
| · Wonyip Landcare Group |
| · Albert River Landcare Group |
| · Upper Avon Landcare Group (Sub Group of Maffra and District Landcare Network) |
| · Stratford & District FarmCheque Group |
| · Woorabinda Junior Landcare Group |
| · Flooding Creek Landcare Group (Sub Group of Maffra and District Landcare Network) |
| · Foster North Landcare sub group of the South Gippsland Landcare Network |
| · Licola Landcare Group (Sub Group of Maffra and District Landcare Network) |
| · Agnes River Landcare |
| · Avon Landcare Group |
| · Longford Landcare Group (Sub Group of Maffra and District Landcare Network) |
| · Kilmany, Nambrok, Pearsondale Landcare Group (Sub Group of Maffra and District Landcare Network) |