The Australian Government is strengthening its commitment to manage and protect the Murray and Riverina’s natural environment, with $700,000 in funding for on-ground activities, announced under the National Landcare Programme.

Some of the projects to be funded include…

-Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group (Albury City Council)
to provide native plants for the peri-urban environment

-Mullengandra Landcare Group (Greater Hume Shire Council and Albury City Council)
to prepare a native vegetation direct seeding demonstration and education site

-Holbrook Landcare Group (Greater Hume Shire)
to host a Regional Landcare Facilitator to coordinate landcare and producer group activity

-Corowa Landcare Group (Corowa Shire)
to run sustainable land management and biodiversity community workshops

-Yanco and Colombo Tributaries Advisory Council (Conargo Shire)
to fund productive cropping and grazing workshops for a changing climate

-Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre (Denilquin Council)
to train aboriginal teams in site management, conservation and other environmental works.

-Rice Growers Association of Australia (Wakool, Murray, Berrigan, & Conargo Shires)
for professional development workshops for young and new participants in rice production

Local MP, Sussan Ley, said “local organisations such as Landcare, Producer groups, Murray Local Land Services and the Aboriginal community know what’s needed for our local environment and this funding ensures money is invested appropriately to deliver real change.

The Government’s total investment in natural resource management programmes amounts to over $2 billion over the next four years – of which $454 million is being invested through Australia’s regionally based Natural Resource Management organisations.

Further Information on all local projects is available from Murray Local Land Services on 0409 173 600. More information on the National Landcare Programme is at www.nrm.gov.au