Liberal Senator for Victoria, Sarah Henderson, today announced that the Australian Trust For Conservation Volunteers had been awarded $18,700 under the Morrison Liberal Government’s Communities Environment Program.
“This program is all about harnessing the passion of grassroots community organisations to deliver practical local projects that directly improve our local environment,” Senator Henderson said.
“This project will undertake the removal of weeds and the surveying and monitoring of local fauna and flora in the You Yangs. This will reduce threats posed to native species in the area and improve knowledge of the environment within the local community.”
Another five projects were also funded in the Corio electorate. These are:
- Encompass Community Services Incorporated $12,000
- This project will collect, restore and repurpose unwanted furniture, white goods and other household items. This will reduce, and monitor, the amount of waste going to landfill.
- Friends of Rippleside Park and Environs Inc. $20,000
- This project will involve the planting of native trees. This will revegetate the park, providing habitat for native animal species and engage locals within the community.
- Mt Rothwell Landcare Volunteers Inc. $20,000
- This project will purchase equipment to aid in, and conduct, ecological burns on multiple treatment sites across endangered Basalt Grasslands. This will promote seed germination, improve native plant diversity, aid weed control and reduce biomass that would fuel uncontrolled wildfire within the Mt Rothwell Reserve.
- Scout Association of Australia Victoria Branch $12,410
- This project will implement a recycling drop off point at the Norlane West Scout Hall, remove litter from Cowies Creek and be supported by education activities for the community. This will reduce the waste that goes to landfill and clean the waterways within the local environment.
- Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative Ltd $16,950
- This project will involve the revegetation of native trees, shrubs and herbs at the Wurdi Youang property. This will improve the security of threatened plant species within the surrounding ecosystem.
The Morrison Government is investing more than $22 million in the Communities Environment Program to support local environmental projects in every electorate across Australia, with grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 per project.
A broad range of organisations were eligible to apply, including local community clubs, not-for-profit organisations, landcare groups and schools.
Senator Henderson said that the Communities Environment Program was empowering local community groups to deliver practical local environmental projects that would not only raise environmental awareness but also strengthen the local community.
“I was very pleased with the high quality of applications received from our local community and environmental organisations, and their enthusiasm to undertake practical environmental projects.
“Community groups in the Corio region are already delivering many fantastic environmental projects, whether it’s planting trees, cleaning up local waterways, reducing litter or protecting native species,” she said.
“This new funding will help to make the region cleaner and greener for future generations, and I look forward to working together to deliver this project next year.”