The Huon Valley Protection of Priority Vegetation Project is an exciting environmental rehabilitation project which aims to protect remnant bush and riparian vegetation. The project, administered through the Huon Healthy Rivers Project, provides grants to community groups and landowners wanting to undertake environmental rehabilitation work in the Huon Valley, located 40 kilometres south of Hobart.
The emphasis is on fencing and revegetation with funding available for materials, plants and some machinery hire.
The project is funded through the Natural Heritage Trust with cash and in kind support from the Huon Valley Council. It receives $142,500 per year from the Commonwealth Government and Huon Valley Council, with community groups contributing a further $200,000 per year.
Council’s Natural Resource Management Coordinator, Holly Terry-Ware said the project would benefit the community in a number of ways.
“As a result of this project, Huon Valley’s water quality in degraded creeks will improve as well as controlled stock access,” she said.
Protection of remnant vegetation along waterways is a priority.
Holly Terry-Ware said the project provides funds for the community in a strategic way.
“The grants provided to the community are easy to access and are relatively straight forward,” she said.
“For this reason, the Huon Valley community has responded very positively to the project and often comment on the lack of red tape.”
So far, 20 projects have been assessed.
The project has been received very favourably and Holly Terry-Ware anticipates that there will be about 40 projects funded by the end of 2002. Coming under the banner of the Huon Healthy Rivers Project, this is one of a number of quality environmental projects being facilitated by Huon Valley Council.
The Huon Healthy Rivers Project is a comprehensive natural resource management project that conducts a number of catchment planning, environmental monitoring and landcare support projects. Other projects under its banner include GreenCorps, GreenReserves and DrumMuster.
For further information contact Holly Terry-Ware, telephone (03) 6264 8410 .
