Training communities to monitor and recover critical mangrove habitat on the NSW south coast, the restoration of Macquarie Perch habitat in alpine waterways, and helping Greater and Yellow-bellied Gliders in South-East Queensland are among 111 new bushfire recovery Landcare grant projects.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the new projects are part of a $14 million Morrison Government commitment to deliver on-ground activities to aid in the recovery of native wildlife and habitat in seven regions severely impacted by the Black Summer bushfires.
“Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network are co-ordinating the grant projects, located in the worst bushfire impacted areas – from South-East Queensland to the NSW north and south coasts, the Blue Mountains, Australian alpine areas, East Gippsland and Kangaroo Island,” Minister Ley said.
“The work builds on a broad range of projects already being carried out by Landcare and other community groups in the wake of the fires.
“We are already seeing results from swift practical actions on the ground like the installation of hollows for species that lost their habitat in the fires, pest weed and feral animal control and erosion management.”
Successful projects include Conservation Volunteers Australia’s work to restore important habitat in the Barrington Tops and Grose Valley through weed control, citizen science wildlife surveys and monitoring, and construction and installation of nestboxes for wildlife.
Other projects include the conservation and repair of riparian areas along the Nymboida River – home to Platypus and critical habitat for threatened Eastern Freshwater Cod.
“There is also a project supporting an Indigenous-led native plant nursery to collect and propagate more than 100,000 native seeds to regenerate impacted habitats near Jervis Bay in NSW,” Minster Ley said.
“These new projects will not only directly support native species recovery, but also provide benefit for bushfire-affected communities and landholders.”
Out of the 111 grants, there are projects supporting landowners to work together on neighbouring properties to control foxes and replant native vegetation as well as funding to extend feral pig control on Kangaroo Island, reducing the impact the animals have on agriculture.
CEO of Landcare Australia Dr Shane Norrish said: “The large network of Landcare and other community groups are essential to the local recovery effort, and the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Program is supporting over a hundred great projects to restore significant areas of native habitat and assist recovery of threatened species.”
CEO of the National Landcare Network Jim Adams said: “The support of Landcare Networks, Groups and others by the Government to continue the important work they do is very welcome and has provided Landcare and communities in the fire affected regions with much needed encouragement to deliver environmental outcomes and build community resilience.”
To date, the Morrison Government has committed $200 million for wildlife and habitat recovery through the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund. A list of the 111 Landcare grant projects can be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/bushfire-recovery/activities-and-outcomes
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