Training communities to monitor and recover critical mangrove habitat on the South Coast, developing habitat for Greater Gliders on the North Coast, and supporting ecologically isolated remnant vegetation in the alps of NSW are among the successful projects funded in NSW.
These projects are just some of the 111 funded projects spread out across Australia as part of the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants Program. Of the projects funded in NSW, 77% are projects being delivered by member groups of Landcare NSW.
The Program is a $14 million Federal 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 NSW CEO, Dr Adrian Zammit, said the funding will build on the successful projects already occurring across NSW and Australia to support fire affected communities.
“We have seen incredible work being delivered by our NSW Landcare community supporting their local environments in response to the catastrophic fires of 2019 and 2020. The funding will ensure that community-led environmental activities will be delivered in the most vulnerable bushfire-impacted regions. From revegetation and regeneration projects to data collection and community engagement, the diversity of these projects will ensure the impacted communities have the support they need to rebuild and recover,” said Dr Zammit.
The projects the grants will fund are diverse and range from projects monitoring platypus in Penrith, construction and installation of nest boxes for wildlife, supporting landowners to work together on neighbouring properties to control foxes and replant native vegetation as well as funding to repair waterways and build seed collection in fire affected regions.
One successful project is the North Coast Regional Landcare’s work with a series of Indigenous-led workshops to be supported on bushfire recovery with co-design and involvement from Landcare and Indigenous stakeholders.
North Coast Regional Landcare Network Chair, Jim Kinkead, says he welcomes the funding which will build on the existing work the region has undertaken in the past 18 months.
“Our region lost thousands of hectares of biodiversity in the bushfires and so many of our projects and the work we have undertaken was destroyed, so funding such as this is a crucial part of our recovery and rehabilitation works.
“The projects that all Landcare and community groups are delivering is fantastic and incredible to see,” Mr Kinkead said.
Other projects include funding to OzFish Unlimited to work in the conservation and repair of riparian areas along the Nymboida River – home to Platypus and critical habitat for threatened Eastern Freshwater Cod furthering the ongoing partnership between Landcare NSW and OzFish Unlimited.
This grants program is jointly managed by Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network, delivered in conjunction with the relevant State and Territory Landcare organisations.
The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery project has been supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.
A list of the 111 Landcare grant projects can be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/bushfire-recovery/activities-and-outcomes
(To access the list scroll down to Landcare Australia bushfire recovery grants program, and click on the arrow next to ‘Approved Projects’ title and a drop down list will appear.)