Landcare Australia has announced the 26 recipients of the 2024 Landcare Australia Community Grants Program, with $300,000 being distributed throughout Australia for environmental volunteers to use in a huge variety of landcare activities.
The 2024 Landcare Australia Community Grant recipients will receive a share of $300,000 for projects that revive nature, boost biodiversity and engage with volunteers.
Grants have been awarded in every state and each of the projects supported will receive between $5,000 up to $20,000, directing funds right into the heart of grassroots landcare groups across Australia.
The Landcare Australia Community Grants program, launched during Landcare Week late last year coincides with a big milestone for Landcare Australia and landcare as a national movement.
Thirty-five years ago in Wentworth NSW, the late former Prime Minister Bob Hawke AC announced the ‘Decade of Landcare’, established Landcare Australia, and supported the national formation of the landcare movement, bringing farmers and conservationists together to resolve environmental issues.
Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish said Landcare remained just as relevant today, as it was 35 years ago, continuing its mission to protect and enhance our natural environment and restore landscapes.
“The calibre of grant applications was exceptional – hand on heart – we were inundated with applications and could easily have awarded 10 or even 20 times the amount and still not met the demand to support vital landcare activities across Australia,” Dr Norrish said.
“Landcare also plays a vital role in building community connections. I want to thank everyone who took the time to apply for funding.
“It clearly demonstrates that the landcare movement is still as passionate and determined to restore and protect our nature and landscapes, as it was 35 years ago.
“The enthusiasm and energy underpinning every application was truly remarkable. I’d like to congratulate the successful groups and look forward to seeing what you achieve with the funding in 2025”.
Landcare Australia Head of Partnerships James Link said the nature of the group’s work means they got to see firsthand the wonderful array of projects in the pipeline.
“We know that landcare groups can find accessing the funding they need for key activities challenging so I’m delighted the Landcare Australia Community grants were able to support these projects,” he said.
“We know landcarers dream big and its fantastic we can support grassroots landcare activities that make a genuine impact for the environment and the communities seeking to protect and enhance it.
“We know these projects are building local knowledge to restore, enhance and protect natural environments, increase biodiversity and help improve community engagement in local landcare activities”
Dr Norrish said the new grant program was made possible by generous contributions from Landcare Australia’s supporters and donations.
“Landcare Australia is proud to support so many grassroots landcare groups with funding for wide ranging natural environment projects important to their local community,” Dr Norrish said.
Among the projects that were funded was the NSW – Belmont Wetlands State Park – A Coastcare project near Newcastle will restore nearly 4,000 sq m of foredunes that have been impacted by sand mining and illegal 4WD activities.
NSW: Watershed Landcare and North East Wiradjuri Company(NEWco) has an exceptional Connection by Fire project to restore cultural fire practices and enhance native biodiversity at Drayton’s Valley Reserve near Rylstone (the Reserve).
VIC: Strathbogie Ranges Conservation Management Network – Once home to thousands of Southern Greater Gliders (SGG), 150 years of habitat clearing and degradation has decimated numbers to perhaps fewer than 100 animals. Funds will be used install a nesting box program and engages the community in citizen science to monitor and contribute to state biodiversity data.
QLD: Agnes Conservation Community (ACC). Residents of Agnes Water must travel a 3-hour round trip to visit the closest native nurseries. ACC will create a community Local Plants for Nature (LPfN) nursery stocking and propagating local native plants providing an opportunity for the local community to be a part of the nursery as volunteers, growing and learning about native species.
SA: Restoration of the Springs Road Water Reserve – Landcarers will regenerate a parcel of land known as ‘The Water Reserve’ by restoring native grasslands. Being close to the Mt Barker Summit Reserve, one of the district’s most important conservation areas, this project will extend valuable biodiversity, including some of the region’s most threatened plants and animals.
WA: The Gillami Centre – Landcarers will collaborate with the local community to establish seedlings and promote environmental sustainability in the region to combat soil erosion, biodiversity loss and salinity in a region WA location, eventually planting over 20,000 seedlings across the Kent-Frankland region.
TAS: Dolphin Sands Community Association – landcarers will eradicate remaining pockets of gorse (Ulex europaeus and weed of national significance) in proximity of a RAMSAR listed wetland on the Dolphin Sands peninsula. Due to its flammability, gorse increases risk of bushfire causing significant concern due to the frequency and severity of bushfires on the peninsula The full list of grants awarded is available on Landcare Australia’s website. Snapshots of the projects are also available via the Communications and PR team.
Dr Norrish said Landcare Australia’s grant programs was always in demand.
“So if you can help us with funding to enable us to award more grants to deserving landcare groups that have projects ready to kick-start, contact our team via partnerships@landcareaustralia.com.au,” he said.
