The Allan Labor Government is investing an additional $780,500 in support for community groups to protect their local environment, industries and cultural heritage from biosecurity threats.
Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence today opened the third round of the Partnerships Against Pests grants program which provides community groups funding to deliver projects that educate, strengthen relationships and promote collaboration to manage established weeds and pest animals at a local level over a two year period.
Grants of between $10,000 and $50,000 are available to a wide range of agricultural and environmental not-for-profit organisations, including Landcare groups and networks.
This is on top of $250,000 made available to Victoria's four Community Pest Management Groups - the Victorian Blackberry Taskforce, the Victorian Gorse Taskforce, the Victorian Rabbit Action Network and the Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party - to expand their reach and strengthen partnerships with local communities.
The Partnerships Against Pests grants program has been embraced by Victorian community groups which have used the funding to help strengthen efforts to reduce the impact of invasive weeds and pests on Victorian landscapes.
An example of this from Round 2 of the program is a $30,000 grant for Bush Heritage Australia, in partnership with DJANDAK share the story about how they successfully removed wheel cactus at Buckrabanyule - a sacred site for the Dja Dja Wurrung people and wider Kulin Nation.
The Partnerships Against Pests funding is being used to promote this story of 'Country, cactus and combating invasives', so that a much wider audience can learn from their collaboration.
To help more community groups to access grants, Agriculture Victoria will host a webinar at 11am on Monday, 9 September to brief interested organisations on the application and submission process.
For details about the Partnerships Against Pests grants program and webinar visit, agriculture.vic.gov.au.
As stated by Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence
"We're proud to be helping Victorian communities to play an active role in managing invasive pests and weeds at a local level that affect our environment."
As stated by Victorian Invasive Pest Advisory Board Chair Andrew Maclean
"The Victorian Invasive Pests Advisory Board welcomes the third round of the Partnerships Against Pests grants and the extension of project tenures to include two-year projects. Funding projects for longer will enable community groups to design and deliver innovative and sustainable established invasive species projects."
As stated by Bush Heritage Australia Health Landscapes Manager Tegan Hibberson
''It is only through innovation and collaboration that we will be able to tackle immense invasive species challenges like wheel cactus. This grant allows us to share these innovative new methods and demonstrate the outcomes of a genuinely collaborative approach between DJAARA and Bush Heritage Australia.''
