Coastcare Grants Announcements
The region has received over $820,000 as part of the federal
Government’s Caring for our Country Community
Coastcare programme. It brings the total of recently-announced
Commonwealth funding to over $5.5 million to deliver natural
resource management outcomes in the Burdekin Dry Tropics region,
including over $3 million for the Reef Rescue project and almost $2
million in Open Grants funding.
The Community Coastcare grants now form part of the Caring
for our Country business plan. Proposals for funding were
sought from May to July this year. A focus was placed on projects
that would:
- protect and rehabilitate coastal
environments and critical aquatic habitats;
and
- enhance community skills, knowledge and
engagement with Indigenous Australians, volunteers and
coastal communities.
Dr Rachel Allan, NQ Dry Tropics Coastal and Marine Programme Coordinator,
said that the Communty Coastcare funding will
greatly benefit the local region. “The community coastcare
grants provide a further boost to our region. It enables us to
carry out much needed on-ground natural resource management
and enhance the community’s
involvement throughout the Burdekin Dry Tropics
Coast.”
Commenting on the funding awarded to NQ Dry Tropics, she said
the project Empowering the community coastcare movement in the
Burdekin Dry Tropics will have a strong community educational
aspect as well as help train coastal community groups on how to
develop projects, apply for grant funding and implement the
projects.
“This project raises the awareness and capacity of the
Burdekin Dry Tropics coastal community - specifically volunteer
community groups, traditional owner groups, schools and the broader
community - to implement future projects. It will also help to
understand the significance of migratory shorebirds, and appreciate
the relationship traditional owners have with dugong and turtle,
which are all issues of national
significance.”
Coastal Books are available now!
The publications Coastal Birds of the Burdekin Dry
Tropics and Coastal Plants of the Burdekin Dry
Tropics are currently available from NQ Dry
Tropics. Please call 4724 3544 to obtain a
copy.
