The Federal Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley welcomes today’s Murray Local Land Services announcement that 13 local community groups and Shire Councils will share in $107,000 in grants under the National Landcare Programme.
Murray Local Land Services worked with local farmers, Indigenous people, Shire Councils, government agencies and other local residents of the Billabong-Yanco area to identify priorities for the area’s landscapes and communities. Grants were then provided for community projects that celebrate the Billabong-Yanco region’s cultural heritage, enhancing its natural assets and promoting local produce.
The projects include a range of activities such as establishing interpretive signs describing local natural and cultural icons, capturing people’s stories and histories linked to local streams and landscapes, upgrading trails and access points, enhancing native vegetation at key sites and conducting field days and study tours.
These activities will raise awareness to protect the natural assets of the area and enable locals and visitors to share knowledge about natural resource management and cultural heritage.
“National Landcare Programme funding is supporting local landcare networks and other community-based groups to help restore local ecosystems and protect natural assets so the local community can enjoy the long-term benefit of a healthy and livable environment,” Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt said.
“The Government is ensuring that funding is invested locally to deliver real change that is targeted on and off farm to safeguard productive capacity in the land for the future and to ensure sustainable management of our natural resources,” Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce said.
“This is crucial because farmers, landcarers and community groups know what works best for their properties, environment and their communities,” Mr Joyce said.
“Over the coming months, Murray Local Land Services will support local groups to carry out important works to help address some of the crucial environmental and agricultural issues facing the region,” the Federal Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley said.
“Murray Local Land Services has a proven track record in managing projects that consistently deliver good outcomes for landscapes and communities in the Murray region,” Ms Ley said.
The Australian Government is investing $1 billion to help support better natural resource management across Australia through the National Landcare Programme. This includes more than $450 million directed in regional funding through Australia’s 56 natural resource management organisations.
This announced funding is part of Murray Local Land Service’s commitment to invest over 20 per cent of its National Landcare Programme funding to help support local projects as well as other local community engagement activities.
For more information about the National Landcare Programme go to www.nrm.gov.au
