Landholders striving to improve or maintain the environment on their properties are encouraged to apply for Bathust Regional Council’s grants of up to $10,000.
Introduced in 2011, The Land Improvement Awards scheme offers two grants of up to $10,000 each for landowners who demonstrate practices which enhance the ecological values of their land or demonstrate innovation in agricultural practices.
In 2016 the program is targeting landholders in the drinking water catchment of Bathurst, incorporating the catchments of the Fish and Campbell’s Rivers, and the catchment of the Macquarie River upstream of the Water Filtration Plant.
Mayor of Bathurst Councillor Gary Rush is encouraging landholders who own an agricultural property over 10 hectares in size, located on the drinking water catchment with a vested interest in trying to protect and enhance their local environment to take advantage of the assistance being offered by Bathurst Regional Council.
“The valuable program aims to achieve positive outcomes not just for the individual landholder but for the broader community.
“Improved water quality in local waterways or improved habitat and vegetation links for native species has ongoing ecological benefits for the community as a whole, not just the owner of the subject land.”
In previous years Council has awarded funds to landholders who have protected creek lines, planted wildlife corridors and installed alternate stock watering points.
2014 recipient of the Land Improvement Award Peter McKinnon said the award had allowed him to undertake erosion control works in a creek bed and encourage revegetation.
“A number of koalas call our property home,” Mr McKinnon said, “and Council’s grant has assisted with protecting their habitat and establishing wildlife corridors.”
Application forms can be downloaded from the Environment/Natural Environment/Land Improvement Awards page on the Council’s website:
www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au
