The Australian Government welcomes today’s Local Land Services Western Region announcement that 25 land managers will share in $732,972 in grants under the National Landcare Programme.
The Local Land Services Western Region projects have been awarded to private land managers to undertake grazing and riparian conservation management to benefit a range of species in the region including the threatened Malleefowl and Dusky-Hopping mouse, and to undertake soil erosion management works.
Western Local Land Services Acting General Manager, Erlina Compton, said that the funding will make a significant difference to boosting productivity in the Western Region.
“Livestock are just like us – they prefer some food over others. However, this can result in the diversity of vegetation in paddocks becoming unbalanced and in many cases enable weeds to take over or degrade the soil condition.
“By fencing off areas within the paddock, land managers can control how heavily their livestock grazes each area and allow it to rest so the palatable species can recover. Maintaining the diversity of vegetation is the key to ensuring productive and sustainable enterprises,” Ms Compton said.
Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt added that the 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.
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 to Australia’s 56 natural resource management organisations.
“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 safeguard our environment,” 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, the Local Land Services Western Region will support local groups to carry out important on-ground works to address some of the crucial environmental issues facing the region,” the Federal Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley said.
“The Local Land Services Western Region has a proven track record in managing projects that consistently deliver good environmental outcomes in the Western Region,” Ms Ley said.
The announced funding is part of Local Land Services Western Region’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.
The next round of funding will be open for applications in February and includes funding for paddocks and funding for riparian zones, which are offered on a co-contribution basis and interested land managers can receive information about the next funding round by subscribing to Local Land Services Western Region’s e-newsletter via western.lls.nsw.gov.au.
For more information about the National Landcare Programme go to www.nrm.gov.au
