The Federal Coalition Government is backing bushfire recovery for wildlife and habitat projects in New England as part of a $10 million community grants program to support hands on projects from setting up bee hotels and creating native community nurseries, to cultural burning and installing nest boxes.
Under the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund, the Australian Government is investing $200 million in bushfire wildlife and habitat recovery.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said that individual grants range from $5000 to $150,000, and will back dedicated volunteers, Indigenous organisations, Landcare, wildlife sanctuaries and community groups.
“This is about working with communities, about people getting out into the bush, getting on their hands and knees to remove weeds, climbing trees to install nesting boxes and erecting barriers to keep out feral predators,” Minister Ley said.
Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the government will provide $979,418 in grants to support eight local projects in the New England.
“The Australian Government is getting behind the people of the New England as we help our local environment recover,” Mr Joyce said.
“The grants are an important initiative that give local volunteers and community groups the support they need to bring our local environment recover.
“The people that have been through the fires know there is still a lot of healing to take place and seeing native animals and plants recover is an important part of the process for all of us.”
The competitive grants process was run through the Business Grants Hub with applications submitted by incorporated and not for profit organisations, Indigenous organisations, local government authorities, community groups and volunteers.
A list of the projects to be delivered in the electorate is available below.
Successful Projects:
|
Project description |
Location |
Applicant |
Grant |
Austral |
|
Bindarrabi Cultural Burning Program Part 2
The project aims to deliver a safe and ecologically enhanced fire management regime by utilising indigenous management techniques including 'cool burns', seed banking and propagation.
|
Bindarrabi, NSW |
Darling Downs Environment Council Inc |
$43,113 |
|
|
Homes and Habitat for Gliders & Glossy Black Cockatoos - Northern NSW
This project will support the recovery of Squirrel Gliders and the Glossy Black Cockatoo in the Torrington and Curry's Gap areas of northern NSW and include nest box construction and installation and revegetation.
|
Torrington and Curry's Gap, NSW |
Glenrac Incorporated
Partners: NSW Landcare, NSW National Parks & Wildlife, community members and landholders
|
$147,490 |
|
|
Protecting Habitat through Recovery - Gulf Road, Emmaville NSW
This project will undertake weed control activities across an area of private land which is adjacent to the Torrington Conservation Area, and also in the catchment of the Beardy River part of the Murray Darling Basin. This will protect priority species and ecosystems by reducing threats to their recovery.
|
Emmaville, NSW |
Glenrac Incorporated
Partners: Landholders, NSW National Parks & Wildlife, New England Weeds Authority
|
$119,345 |
|
|
Seeds and Trees for New England Bushfire Recovery
This project will provide affected landholders with farm tree packs made up of local tree and shrub species and a written guideline on how to plant and maintain them.
|
Armidale, NSW |
Armidale Tree Group Incorporated |
$127,325 |
|
|
Jeogla to Carrai Plateau Bushfire Recovery Project
This project will deliver a large-scale feral animal and pest weed control program on private land.
|
Armidale region, NSW |
Armidale Regional Council
Partners: New England Weeds Authority, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services, Back Tracks
|
$150,000 |
|
|
Aussie Ark Habitat Recovery and Protection
The project includes a feral pest eradication program, habitat mapping and ecological surveys, weed management and treating chlamydia-affected koalas in the Yindi, Greenwood and Curricabark sanctuaries.
|
Barrington Tops, NSW |
Australia's Wildlife Ark Inc
Partners: Community groups
|
$150,000 |
|
|
Billion Bees Ltd
The delivery and installation of hives on public land, schools, parks and community centres; and a school and community education program that will provide advice, monitoring and reporting.
|
Fire-affected regions in Queensland and NSW |
Billion Bees Foundation, Bushfire Recovery Project |
$92,170 |
|
|
The Macleay Wildlife Habitat Bushfire Recovery Project
Delivery of a habitat recovery program, a nest box and constructed hollow program, and a community education program to support the recovery of wildlife populations on private land in the Macleay Valley.
|
Macleay Valley, NSW |
Macleay Landcare Network Incorporated
Partner: NSW National Park and Wildlife Service and landholders
|
$149,975 |
|