Local councils in New South Wales (NSW) will invest more than $1.2 million in programs designed to protect and manage roadside reserves in their local government area.
Local Government NSW (LGNSW) announced 21 council projects would receive grants of up to $99,000 for managing roadside reserves – protecting significant biodiversity, connecting vegetation across the landscape and providing valuable wildlife habitats.
The $1,205,206 in funding is provided by the NSW Environmental Trust.
The grants are designed to assist councils to further embed management of roadside reserves into planning, reporting and asset management systems.
A number of projects are focussed on trialling a new rapid assessment methodology to assess environmental values and using this information to manage, monitor and protect roadsides.
Bourke, Brewarrina and Walgett council areas will coordinate efforts regionally across 7000km of roadside, while Coffs Harbour City Council will pilot the inclusion of the environmental values of three key roads into their asset management system.
LGNSW President Councillor Keith Rhoades said the project was an example of local government streamlining the management of roadside environment areas across council areas to deliver real environmental benefits.
“Effective roadside reserve management is more than meets the eye,” Cr Rhoades said. “Roadside reserves conserve habitat, and prevent erosion, as well as having an aesthetic and ecological value.”
The Roadside Reserves Project has developed a framework to integrate roadside reserve management into council planning and activities, as well as a range of assessment tools and templates to help councils establish a baseline to protect this natural asset.
