Caring for our Country funding announced
Business plan 2009-10 successful projects base-level funding
The table below lists the base level funding for regional NRM organisations within each state. Each state and territory also received funding through the Business plan 2009-10 competitive process.
| Western Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Region / NRM organisation | Project description | Funding approved from July 2009 |
| Avon Catchment Council | The region funding will engage over 50% of farmers and land managers with activities to increase skills and knowledge for improved land management. In addition it will provide small grants to a wide range of land managers, community groups, local government and friends of groups for a range of activities including, actions to reduce wind erosion, activities to protect and link the remaining areas of remnant bush-land where these contain EPBC listed or vulnerable species such as Carnaby's Cockatoo. The region has excellent linkages to local on ground groups and this will ensure, together with a specific indigenous component and based on historical performance that much of the funding is directed to making a difference on the ground for Caring for our Country priorities. | $10,813,136 (over 4 years) |
| Northern Agricultural Catchments Council | The region funding will engage 500 farmers, responsible for around 60% of the region's 5.5m hectares of agricultural land, to protect 15,000 hectares of priority vulnerable soils. The northern agricultural region, due to soils and landscape, is especially vulnerable to wind erosion. It has experienced 5 dry seasons in the last 7 and is likely to be severely impacted under climate change scenarios. The NACC has a strong history of farmer engagement and its regional proposal is focused on farmer engagement in wind erosion activities. It will also engage with the farmer community, coastal community organisations and Indigenous community in weed management, coastal rehabilitation and rabbit control with a focus on threatened species and weeds of national significance. | $14,189,100 (over 4 years) |
| Perth Region NRM | The Perth NRM region is a metropolitan region which impacts heavily on water quality in the Swan Canning Coastal hotspot. Research has shown that the major causes of degradation to this hotspot are from nutrient run-off from rural areas in the region and from poor management of contaminants in small to medium business resulting in urban runoff. The funding will treat 20% of vulnerable land in the Ellen Brook catchment to reduce nutrients entering the Swan Canning Coastal Hotspot. In addition it will work closely with regulators and business to result in 700 small to medium enterprises ceasing the illegal discharge of industrial contaminants into the surface and groundwater systems of the coastal hotspot. 3 new industrial estates will be designed so that no illegal discharge occurs as a result of their (future) activities. | $4,608,000 (over 2 years) |
| Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group | The Rangelands Coordinating Group covers 90% of WA with a low overall population, high indigenous population, relatively low capacity and significant natural assets, many of which are in good condition although some are under significant pressure. This proposal delivers a large level of on- works in relation to control of WONS, protection of key Ramsar and high value aquatic wetlands, and world heritage areas. | $7,926,000 (over 2 years) |
| South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc | SCNRM will have an integrated approach to achieve efficiencies of scale and multiple outcomes for Caring for our Country targets. All activities focus on key geographic and biodiversity outcomes for high-value assets across the region. On-ground activities cover 3 Ramsar wetlands that address threats to and status of each Ramsar site, and provide habitat to the EPBC listed nationally threatened species Gilbert's potaroo, Dibbler, and Carnaby's cockatoo. 440 hectares of Montane Heath and Thicket and Montane Mallee Thicket, a threatened ecological community, will be managed to reduce critical threats to biodiversity and protect over 15 EPBC listed nationally threatened species. SCNRM will support 614 land managers undertaking on-ground works to reduce wind erosion and improve the sustainable farm practices. Integrated works will occur over 1000km of Western Australia coastline, meeting targets to protect assets across the region to engage land managers, indigenous communities and over 64 community organisations in rehabilitation, restoration and on-ground conservation activities. | $7,511,416 (over 2 years) |
| South West Catchments Council | The South West Catchments Council is conducting a program of four projects over two years under Caring for our Country. These four projects individually focus on four of the national priorities (Coastal, Biodiversity, Sustainable Agriculture and Community) covering 15 targets. With this investment SWCC will work with land managers and relevant stakeholders in the low rainfall wheatbelt area of the region to improve land management practices via extension and on-ground activities to reduce the effects of wind erosion. They will undertake activities in two priority Coastal Hotspots and Coastal Ramsar Wetlands (The Peel-Harvey and Vasse-Geographe) to reduce threats, control weeds and other invasive species. SWCC will also address critical threats such as weeds and rabbits that affect priority biodiversity assets and threatened ecological communities. | $10,564,000 (over 2 years) |
| Total for Western Australia | $55,611,652 | |