Community NRM projects to preserve and restore environment, Redman
Author: Terry Redman
Published on: 01-June-2011
Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman and Environment Minister Bill Marmion today announced $2.37million would be made available to help communities preserve and restore their local environment.
Funding from the State Natural Resource Management (NRM) program will support 73 projects in Western Australia during 2011-12.
“The diversity of projects across the State by many local groups highlights the value placed by community members on their environment and natural resources,” Mr Redman said.
“This is important work being carried out by communities on natural resources that are treasured by them.”
Mr Marmion said the projects involve works across a broad range of natural resources, including land and water, by people with extensive local knowledge and expertise.
“It is important these community groups are recognised for the important work they do to protect and restore their environment,” he said.
Funding will go towards 14 projects across the metropolitan area, including revegetation of sections of Lake Claremont and the Canning River foreshores; riparian restoration of priority areas of the Swan and Helena rivers; and a project which aims to halt the infestation of the aggressive freshwater fish, the Pearl Cichlid in the Swan River catchment.
In the northern agricultural area, 12 projects have been funded including surveying the malleefowl population in a section of the Morawa Shire and regeneration work as part of the Chapman River Wildlife corridor.
Rangelands projects include year-round surveys in Roebuck Bay for dolphins and their prey, fencing to protect the coastal habitat of 80 Mile Beach, and native seed collection and propagation as part of a pilot project with local Aboriginal communities.
Wheatbelt projects include revegetation and restoration of a section of Southern Brook and the installing of a bore near the town of Quairading to help reduce salinity.
Twenty community projects funded along the South Coast focus on weed control, river and wetlands rehabilitation and biodiversity.
Funding is committed to 16 projects in the South-West, including Arum Lily eradication in Capel Tuart forests and reducing nutrients in Geographe Bay.
A summary of the projects, proponent and approved funds is available from the State NRM website at www.nrm.wa.gov.au or phone 9368 3168.
