Biodiversity projects to grow through funding

STATE Labor will make what it says is the biggest funding boost to biodiversity in Victoria’s history, with almost $35 million in grants for targeted on-ground action.

Last week, Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney unveiled funding for 10 local biodiversity and marine environment projects to mark the start of Biodiversity Month.

The recipients include:

• Conservation Ecology Centre ($486,060) to maintain and expand the Otway Ark, a small mammal recovery program that incorporates best practice monitoring with ongoing fox control
• Greening Australia ($160,000) to enhance native vegetation across landscapes within the VVP Western District Ramsar Lakes, consisting of significant ecological communities and threatened flora and fauna species
• Corangamite Catchment Management Authority ($461,999) to protect, enhance and restore more than 1,000 hectares of threatened native grassland, grassy woodland and related habitats across the Victorian Volcanic Plains, and
• Upper Barwon Landcare Network ($135,000) to enhancing and protecting biodiversity values in the Otway Plains.

Across Victoria, 85 of the projects are focused on biodiversity on-ground action, while $1.1 million has been allocated to four new marine environment projects.

The projects have been developed collaboratively by interested community members, Traditional Owners, non-government organisations and government agencies, and respond to the priorities that were determined by stakeholder led working groups.

Ms Tierney said Labor was committed to protecting Victoria’s biodiversity.

“These grants will support the community in their on-ground efforts to protect our threatened species and their natural habitats.

“These projects will help stop the decline of country Victoria’s unique biodiversity at a grassroots level.”

To view the full list of successful projects, head to environment.vic.gov.au.