Community grant funding rolls out across Northern and Yorke
Media release about community grant funding rolling out across Northern and Yorke
23 April 2020
Community groups and land managers are set to roll out more than 20 pest plant and animal control projects across the Northern and Yorke region.
More than $60,000 has now been shared amongst 23 projects as part of the Northern and Yorke region’s Bite Size and Back to Basics funding initiatives.
The latest round of successful applicants include the Riesling Trail Management Committee, which will put $5000 towards eradicating wild olives adjacent to the Clare Valley’s iconic walking and cycling track and World’s End Conservation Pty Ltd, which aims to protect threatened wildlife and native grasslands in the picturesque pocket of land near Burra.
New Northern and Yorke Landscape Board Chair Caroline Schaefer said the grants were unique to the region and empowered the community to take action in managing the area’s soil, water, pest plants and animals and biodiversity.
“I am very pleased to see the level of uptake by local community groups and the wonderful range of projects they are delivering,” said Ms Schaefer. “The new Landscape Board looks forward to continuing to support local efforts to manage landscape issues such as controlling pest plants and animals and caring for our watercourses and soils through grants programs in the future.”
Some grant recipients, like the Wirrabara Progress Association (WPA) have been quick to get their projects underway. The WPA has already completed five days of strenuous woody weed control along the Rocky River, a scenic water course that rises near the Wirrabara Forest.
This community-driven project involved six local landholders who were concerned about weed infestations choking native vegetation and impeding water flow. They targeted the problem olive trees and blackberry, briar rose and boxthorn shrubs to open up the river environment and allow for native tree regeneration.
While Back to Basics Grants of up to $5000 are primarily focussed on pest plant and animal control, the Bite Size Grants program has been designed to help smaller community groups kick-start environmental projects with a natural resource management outcome. Already 14 groups have received Bite Size Grants of up to $1000, including the Wakefield Community Garden Management Committee to fund bush tucker plants at Balaklava and the Bluff Beach Community Group to revegetate dunes near Minlaton.
In Hardwicke Bay, the local progress association has used $1000 to build a fence to help stop the spread of caltrop into a nearby playground and bike track. “This weed has hateful burrs that stick in kids’ feet and puncture bike tyres,” said Hardwicke Bay Progress Association President Ashley Gordon. “By restricting access to the area, it should stop the spread of the weed. Thanks to the Natural Resource Management Board for this important funding.”
The Back to Basics and Bite Size Grants Programs are an initiative of the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board and funded through the NRM Levy.
There is still time for interested groups to apply for Bite Size funding, with applications closing on 31 May 2020. Application forms and grant information is available on the Grants and Funding page. For more information or assistance with applications, contact Natural Resources Centre in Clare on 8841 3444.