Funding to boost local environmental projects

Forty five environmental projects across the Goulburn Broken region will share in $1.7 million as part of the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority's (GB CMA) 2008 funding program.

Chief Executive Officer Bill O'Kane said the funding will boost the GB CMA's efforts to enhance the catchment's land and water resources.

"The funding programs give community groups the opportunity to apply for grants to conduct natural resource management activities in the Goulburn Broken Catchment," Mr O'Kane said.

"The projects that have been approved for funding were selected because of their ability to address key priority actions identified by the GB CMA."

"Some of these projects include community education, such as the Upper Goulburn Catchment Group's plan to conduct public field trips so people can witness first hand what is being protected on the King Parrot and Yea Rivers."

"Projects such as these aim to give the community ownership an understanding of waterway health issues and how to use aquatic life as a gauge for healthy waterways."

"Other projects involve hands on efforts, such as the Rotary Club of Northcote's Environment Planting Scheme that will see 10 hectares of trees planted at Mollison's Creek in an effort to reduce salinity and soil degradation."

"We are delighted to be able to fund such a wide range of projects that will continue the GB CMA's efforts to improve social well being, environmental quality and the sustainable productive capacity of the Catchment area," Mr O'Kane said.

Mr O'Kane said there are a number of different sources the Goulburn Broken CMA utilize to fund these high priority projects for community groups.
Other projects to be funded in 2008 include:

• $222,000 to the Goulburn Murray Landcare Network for landcare support in the mid Goulburn Broken
• $204,000 to the Trust For Nature for permanent habitat protection and stewardship in the Goulburn Broken catchment
• $150,000 to Goulburn Valley Water for the Goulburn Broken Waterwatch
• $7,500 to the Swanpool and District Land Protection Group for their Community Participation in Waterway Rehabilitation project
• $55,000 to the Superb Parrot Project for habitat protection and enhancement
• $27,000 to the Hughes Creek Catchment Collaborative to protect the habitat of a Macquarie Perch population
• $50,700 to the Sunday Creek/Sugarloaf Subcatchments for gorse control
• $12,000 to the Dookie Land Management Group to control priority pest plants and animals

A full list of the projects to be funded can be found at /browse.aspx?ContainerID=229

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