Community groups dedicated to caring for Western Australia's precious environment can apply for grants from the McGowan Government's latest State Natural Resource Management (NRM) funding round.
The McGowan Government has this year increased the funding available for local community-based projects through the Community Stewardship Grants program to $7.5 million.
The 2020 grants funding round is now open for projects that help conserve natural areas, protect WA's biodiversity and improve the capability of NRM community groups across the State.
The two grant categories are small grants between $1,000 and $35,000, and large grants between $35,001 and $450,000.
Applications for the 2020-21 Community Stewardship Grants close on June 15, 2020.
An additional $1 million will be made available to support core landcare and resource management activities of the seven regional NRM bodies and the Western Australia Landcare Network.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"The McGowan Government has this year increased total funding for the Community Stewardship Grants program and direct to key State and regional NRM bodies by $1.5 million, to further build community and State-wide capacity in natural resource management.
"Last year, with the benefit of State NRM program funding, community volunteers and farmers planted more than one million seedlings, across thousands of hectares.
"Communities also undertook vital feral animal control across 600,000 hectares, preserving millions of native birds, reptiles and mammals from pests such as cats and foxes."
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Community Stewardship Grants are available to local landcare, NRM and farming community groups, schools and local governments.
"Community-based projects draw in local knowledge, and have great success in achieving local support to achieve targeted and meaningful on-ground action.
"The work and activities of community NRM groups contribute to the management of Western Australia's unique environmental assets, improving outcomes for threatened species and reducing the impact of threats to biodiversity."
As stated by Water Minister Dave Kelly:
"Grassroots community efforts continue to be the life-blood of natural resource management, focused on restoring, protecting, and preserving Western Australia's unique coastlines, landscapes and diverse waterways.
"These grants support local initiatives, such as the Harvey River Restoration Taskforce which has helped revitalise and restore the Harvey River.
"This project involves local community members planting over eight hectares of riparian streams beds and riverbanks, along with four hectares of bank stabilisation to protect banks from erosion and improve water quality."
Agriculture and Food Minister's office - 6552 6200
