$150,000 for Eyre Peninsula community landscape projects & storm recovery
Applications are now open for the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board’s Grassroots Grants Program, which provides $100,000 in funding for community-based landscape management projects across the Eyre Peninsula, with an extra $50,000 this year for those affected by January storms.
The grants are expected to fund a range of sustainable land management and environmental protection projects that focus on priority issues across the region.
There are three streams of funding for the 2022-23 grants:
- Small Community Grants for up to $5,000 (GST exclusive);
- Large Community Grants for up to $15,000 (GST exclusive); and
- Farm Recovery Grants for up to $5,000 (GST exclusive).
EP Landscape Board Chair, Mark Whitfield, encourages the community to apply if they have an environmental project that could benefit from a $5000 to $15,000 grant.
“These grants are a great opportunity for the Eyre Peninsula community to work on projects that protect or restore our natural environment or boost a group’s understanding of priority landscape areas,” Mr Whitfield says.
“Our landscape board focuses on the priorities of water, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, pest plants & animals and the community, so we’re looking for projects that include at least one of these priorities.
“The Board is really pleased to also be able to fund an additional $50,000 this year for landholders or farming groups who have been impacted by January’s storm events.
“We know that there’s some considerable on-ground works from storm damage that may not be covered by insurance, so this will go some way to help to those affected.”
Last year 14 projects were funded for a diverse range of work including restoration of coastal areas and blue gum woodlands; monitoring of a wetland ecosystem; removal of pest plants to protect threatened vegetation; and agriculture workshops.
Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) SA in Port Lincoln received $10,000 for removing pest vegetation and creating new vegetation areas that will control erosion while providing space to control and care for animals.
Susan Hooker, a volunteer from RDA says the grant has really helped to give their 50-plus volunteers direction and enabled plans for the landscape work needed to be developed.
“This grant has really helped to escalate RDA Port Lincoln’s long-term strategy for the site,” Ms Hooker says.
“Looking after this land in a way that sustains the horses but also maintains the delicate balance of natural landscape and vegetation, can be a lot of work.
“This funding enabled us to remove noxious plants and trees from the site; collect and purchase native grasses to be sown as pasture for horses; and helped us to propagate seeds collected from native vegetation on site.
“These will be transplanted into areas where noxious plants and trees have been removed, as well as areas prone to erosion, and will provide shelter. We are now just waiting on some decent autumn rain to get really stuck into the planting.”
Applications for this year’s grants are open until April 22. Full details including an application form, guidelines and FAQs, are available on the landscape board’s website at www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ep/get-involved/grants-and-funding/grassroots-grants.
Projects must be completed by mid-June 2023 except where the 18-month grant option has been selected during the application process.
Grassroots Grants are offered annually in each of the State’s landscape board regions, as part of the Landscape SA Act 2019, funded by the Board levy.
