Example Community Action Grants
New South Wales
2010-2011 examples
| Funding recipient: | Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives Incorporated |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00604 |
| Funding: | $9 000 |
Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives (OCCI) were formed by the community in 1999. The group aims to educate the community about marine and coastal environmental issues and to actively promote programs that conserve and protect the marine and coastal environment. They run marine environment courses through local councils attended by hundreds of people each year and facilitate the Whale Dreamers Festival.
Gosford's Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives will promote community education about the marine environment of the region through an innovative program in which participants receive training on the marine environment in return for conducting educational projects within their local networks. A facilitator will work with each individual to assist them in putting together their community project. Participants will also receive training in communication and teamwork to increase the effectiveness of their project delivery. Many of the educational projects will work closely with the local council to achieve best practice environmental management outcomes. The varied nature of the participants and their projects will ensure that community education and engagement is broadly based and relevant to the community. Participants will be enrolled as members of Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives for twelve months to provide them with continued support for their projects.
| Funding recipient: | Gwymac Incorporated |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Friends of Northey Park |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00174 |
| Funding: | $17 410 |
Friends of Northey Park in collaboration with Gwymac Incorporated have conducted community events at Northey Park, an 8 hectare reserve in Inverell NSW. The park has been a focal point for Landcare activities since rehabilitation commenced in 2007. These activities have included tree planting days, working bees to eradicate weeds and rubbish, erosion control activities, site maintenance and erecting signage. In total, an estimated 160 community members have been engaged in hands on natural resource management. The group has also worked closely with local primary and high schools to implement these activities.
This project will complement stages 1 and 2 of the Northey Reserve rehabilitation by establishing a demonstration site in the Inverell township. Bioversity will be increased through continued revegetation works along with the installation of educational signage to increase visitor awareness of native species conservation. Weeds of national significance (blackberry) and biodiversity threats (noxious species privet, coolatai grass, tree of heaven and African Boxthorn) will be controlled. Mulch will be layed on bare areas of hillslope erosion to rehabilitate sensitive riparian areas and a designated walkway will be established with fencing installed to further protect these areas. These activities, in conjunction with planting native grass species, will increase groundcover and reduce sediment loads entering the Macintyre River. A community open day involving schools, volunteers and other community groups will be held to raise awareness of the project and attract additional volunteers to help with the ongoing stewardship of the reserve.
| Funding recipient: | Eurobodalla Shire Council |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Long Beach Landcare |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00490 |
| Funding: | $20 000 |
The Long Beach Landcare group has been opperating for more than five years. The group meets monthly to undertake a range of activities including weed control work on Weeds of National Significance (such as bridal creeper, bitou bush and blackberry), planting of rehabilitated areas; wetland restoration; and maintenance of littoral rainforest. The Group raises natural resource management awareness in the community with media releases, training days and community meetings as well as arranging environmental studies. The group has developed partnerships with other local organisations and will work on this project with Surfside Bushcare, Surfside Landcare and South Durras Landcare groups.
This project will help the four Eurobodalla coastal Landcare groups, at South Durras, Long Beach and Surfside. These sites have suffered a loss of coastal biodiversity due to impact of introduced plant species, including garden escapees. There is need for greater education and community involvement in natural resource management issues significant to these areas. The project will encourage community members to participate in caring for the natural environment through participation in weed removal and other conservation activities. Members of the Landcare groups will be provided with additional training to upgrade their knowledge and skills in weed control techniques. A Koori work team will assist the four groups in weed control work and additional support will be provided by bush regeneration teams and weed spraying contractors. Weeds of national significance and environmental weeds such as strangling vines will be targeted to reduce impacts on threatened coastal ecosystems, including dunes, littoral rainforests and estuarine and freshwater wetlands. The community will be further engaged and educated through a number of Bushcare training days in regeneration/rehabilitation techniques and opportunities for working with practising Landcarers will be provided. A weed swap and display day at Surfside will help the wider community to identify potential threats to the natural environment. The four Landcare groups will maintain the rehabilitated areas with on-going monitoring and weeding.
2009-2010 examples
| Funding recipient: | Friends of The Brush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby Incorporated |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG09-00504 |
| Funding: | $9,000 |
The Friends of the Brush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby Incorporated, a non-profit group, was formed in 1995 by residents in Kangaroo Valley. Their membership of approximately 50 has expanded to include people from throughout the Shoalhaven, Sydney, other states and overseas. The Friends work closely with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to protect this rare species in the Shoalhaven area of NSW. Their aim is to increase the numbers of rock-wallabies by reducing threats to its survival and to create a better environment for the species to breed.
A questionnaire on the presence, abundance and frequency of a number of key feral animal species observed on private properties was developed and mailed out to local landholders in the vicinity of Brush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby colonies in the Kangaroo Valley, Illaroo and Bugong areas. Pest species of particular interest are foxes, wild dogs, goats and deer. Ten remote cameras were loaned out to interested landholders to assist them with pest animal identification. Following the identification of pest species locations, a contract trapper/shooter was employed to control the threatening pest species on private properties in the vicinity of local Brush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby colonies.
| Funding recipient: | Farmlink Research Limited |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG09-00565 |
| Funding: | $19,695 |
In 2002 a scoping study indicated widespread support for a group that allowed the 'linking' of growers, researchers and advisers to better target and coordinate research. In 2004 FarmLink was established. Made up of growers, advisers and researchers in southern NSW, FarmLink gives growers the power to influence research priorities and be actively involved in the research process. The group's main objective is to coordinate and communicate private, public and growers group funded research and development activities within the region.
The past 10 years of below average rainfall in southern NSW have exacerbated degradation of agricultural soils in the region, particularly from erosion by wind and water, due to low ground cover and soil compaction from over-grazing and excessive tillage. However, it has also highlighted the ability of some farmers to successfully adapt to these conditions through the adoption of more sustainable farming techniques, including stubble retention, minimum tillage, controlled traffic farming and farm zoning, which have led to better productivity and sustainability than those adopting the more typical farming systems of the region.
The project involved a series of "farmer to farmer" focus meetings where farmers from the Wagga region who have successfully adopted more sustainable farming methods acted as mentors for other interested growers to share techniques and information. Meetings were facilitated by an experienced agricultural consultant. The project also established a demonstration trial to investigate a set of sustainable farming methods. The trial was the focus of two public field days to capture a broad public audience. Information presented at these field days was published in newsletters. Case studies which focus on the farming mentors' work were published in a booklet produced as part of the project.
Australian Capital Territory
| Funding recipient: | Southern ACT Catchment Group Incorporated |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00356 |
| Funding: | $16 075 |
The Southern ACT Catchment Group was formed in May 2002 to represent all active environmental groups in the southern areas of the ACT. The group is one of three community based catchment groups in the ACT and covers the areas of Woden, Weston Creek, Tuggeranong and Tharwa. The group were also successful in the 2009-10 round with the project CAG09-00586 Restoring the remnant Yellow box/Red-gum woodland at Tuggeranong Homestead.
African lovegrass is a highly invasive environmental and agricultural weed in the ACT region. A recent African lovegrass regional forum recommended better education and improved control of lovegrass infestations. It is imperative to control this weed to stop large areas of the ACT from becoming monocultures. This project will identify priority target areas and produce educational materials on the impacts of African lovegrass and best-practice strategies to control the weed. It will increase community participation and improve coordination in lovegrass control and containment. The project will include an informational poster and articles published by the local press when conditions for the control by herbicide is optimal. Field days will be held to demonstrate best-practice control methods on nearby farms where trials on lovegrass control are underway and information will be added to Natural Resource Management websites. Three ACT catchment groups, the Natural Resource Council, Rural Landholders Association and Concerned Residents for West Kambah will contribute to the project.
Victoria
| Funding recipient: | 3 Creeks Landcare Group |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00545 |
| Funding: | $20 000 |
The 3 Creeks Landcare Group covers the catchments of Bridge, Bourne and Woolshed creeks that flow into the Powlett River and Bass Strait. The terrain varies from steep gullies to coastal plains with a few remnants of damp foothills forest and coastal woodland. The group contains a diverse membership including original settler families, sea/tree changers, weekenders and newer farmers. The group aims to promote a sustainable and productive environment through education, awareness and community involvement in Landcare activities for a long-term future.
Building on earlier work, this project will mitigate erosion of the soils and agricultural runoff into the Three Creeks Catchment and improve its biodiversity. The landscape is characterised by a history of extensive clearing and soils prone to erosion on steep hillsides, gullies and creek banks. Group and community volunteers will use a weed spraying unit to control Weeds of National Significance in 30 hectares of previously revegetated sites and remnant sites. These volunteers will also plant indigenous species and fence off five hectares of riparian and steep gully sites. As part of the project, community volunteers will learn best practice methods from eight revegetation field days. Two local schools will also help to undertake the site monitoring. Participating landholders will maintain their fences in a stock-proof condition and control all weeds on the site prior to and after planting for a ten-year period.
Victoria
| Funding recipient: | Australian Forest Growers |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Ballarat Region Treegrowers |
| Project ID: | CAG09-00305 |
| Funding: | $20,000 |
Ballarat Region Treegrowers have been active for over five years. They commissioned and published "Recreating the Country" which explores new thinking about integrating conservation and production on farms. "Recreating the Country" was launched at a field day attended by over 80 people. The group have also held a workshop on Shiitake mushroom growing with over 20 participants, sponsored a Sustainable Farm Forestry Award presented by the Ballarat Environment Network and organised a field trip through western Victoria looking at integrated farm forestry and biodiversity
enhancement attended by 10 branch members.
With the support of the landowner and other partner organisations, Ballarat Region Treegrowers developed a model biorich plantation using the design principles described in "Recreating the Country". This development shows how such a plantation can be integrated into the rural production landscape. The purpose is to enhance biodiversity, protect existing remnant vegetation and improve water quality. The plantation also delivers production outcomes directly through wood products, through improved agricultural outcomes including pest and weed control as well as the provision of shade and shelter.
South Australia
| Funding recipient: | Friends of Parks Incorporated |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Friends of Little Dip CP |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00452 |
| Funding: | $6 149 |
Friends of Little Dip CP have been operating for over five years. The group runs a tree propagation nursery on Robe Council land and members work with the local Park Ranger to help with installing signs, wildlife rescue and other tasks. Friends of Little Dip CP also successfully obtained a 2009-10 Community Action Grant CAG09-00709 Collaborative community volunteers project for the rehabilitation and protection of coastal headland habitat at Robe, South Australia.
The project will monitor tracks within the Little Dip Conservation Park to better understand trends in track erosion, anticipate damage and prioritise maintenance programs before major damage is done. Over the last three years there has been a significant increase in 4WD and trailbike use of coastal tracks in the Park which has led to increased dune erosion, vegetation loss, damage to Aboriginal heritage sites and rising track maintenance and management costs. This project will install 20 monitoring points at pre-selected track locations. Monthly profile surveys will be conducted by volunteers and park rangers during the project period. A report on track erosion trends and maintenance measures and a Coastal Track Management Plan for Little Dip will be prepared. Findings will be presented to the community through two seminars and a field day. Two signs will also be installed to promote low-impact coastal driving.
South Australia
| Funding recipient: | Trees for Life |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG09-00407 |
| Funding: | $17,909 |
Trees for Life has a large membership and volunteer base which provides skills, materials and opportunities for a broad section of the rural and urban community to participate in revegetation and bush regeneration projects in the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges natural resource management region. In addition to hosting workshops and training, over the past 12 months the group has included more than 1,500 landholders in the Tree Scheme - receiving and planting local native seedlings. As a result 4,152 hectares of bushland is already under active volunteer management.
This project continued and expanded a program of workshops and learning events for revegetation, introductory and advanced bush regeneration training, plant and weed identification and revegetation project planning. The workshop program will assist in the ongoing recruitment and up-skilling of volunteers. Trees for Life volunteers provided additional training for 265 of its members and 47 new volunteers. They ran 12 Introductory workshops attended by 103 participants covering minimal disturbance methods and Occupational Health and Safety awareness; six Advanced Bush Regeneration workshops attended by 55 participants providing higher level skills in chemical use, plant identification and other techniques to existing volunteer Bushcarers; 12 propagation workshops, training 132 volunteer growers and landholders to grow a range of local native plants for revegetation projects; and two revegetation and regeneration workshops with 22 participants.
Northern Territory
| Funding recipient: | The Environment Centre NT Inc |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00347 |
| Funding: | $20 000 |
The Environment Centre Northern Territory was established in 1983 and has played a crucial role in improving environmental protection and management throughout the Territory. The group supports community groups to bulid their natural resource management capacity and holds public meetings and events every two months (on average), including the Top End Sustainable Living Festival and Walk Against Warming. They have produced a Top End Gardening guide to assist Top End gardeners to grow local organic food. The group have also undertaken 200 energy efficiency audits in Darwin households and auspiced a bulk buy of solar hotwater heaters and energy efficient pool pumps.
Weeds are a major threat to ecosystems, primary production and Indigenous cultural heritage in Northern Australia, which supports the world's largest remaining tropical savanna in relatively intact condition and one of the world's last networks of free-flowing tropical rivers. Fourteen of the 20 weeds of national significance occur in Northern Australia. This project will revise a field guide 'Weeds of the Wet/Dry Tropics of Australia' by its original author, Dr Nicholas Smith. The guide is targeted to pastoralists and land managers. The guide will be revised and new infomation added on weed declarations, weed control policy, new weed species, eradication and control practices, weed partnerships, and will provide more informative distribution maps. A broad-based Reference Panel including key stakeholders will review and sign off the revised publication. The guide will provide examples of weed management success stories, help land managers to identify and better control declared weeds, enhance cross sectoral collaborative partnerships in the control of weeds.
Northern Territory
| Funding recipient: | West Arnhem Shire Council |
|---|---|
| Community group: | West Arnhem Market Garden Committee |
| Project ID: | CAG09-00910 |
| Funding: | $19,091 |
West Arnhem Market Garden Committee has been operating for over two years. The group focuses on training community members in sustainable food production. Members of the group operate two market gardens which act as training areas for Indigenous people from two remote communities. The group focus predominately on on-ground sustainable farming. The current projects include increasing water efficiency on farm and revegetation of a riparian farm adjacent to a production area.
This project addresses the issue of food security and climate change. This project has increased the water efficiency of Warruwi Market Garden by upgrading to a pressure pump drip system. The Garden previously relied on overhead impact sprinkler irrigation sourced from an oversubscribed on-site well. The project also revegetated the billabong banks adjacent to the Gunbalanya Market Garden with local native bush tucker species. The two components provided training activities to build capacity, encourage effective partnerships and teach new skills, technologies and sustainable practices to Indigenous participants.
Western Australia
| Funding recipient: | West Midlands Natural Resource Group Incorporated |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00732 |
| Funding: | $11 765 |
The West Midlands Natural Resource Group facilitates a broad range of community group meetings including for Coastcare Groups, the West Midlands Group, the Sustainable Farming Trails Program Group and the West Midlands Women's committee. They have hosted Research and Development Trails Field Days, a Women's forum, Coastal Works Field Days, Aboriginal Heritage Field Days and Environmental Field Days as well as conducting environmental management planning with schools. They have completed a range of on-ground environmental, sustainable farming and coastal projects. The group were also successful in the 2009-10 round with the project CAG09-00909 Establishing and sustaining community management of the West Midlands coastline.
Working with local shires, schools and community groups this project will revegetate and link priority roadside wildlife corridors that have been broken by erosion prone gravel pits. To achieve this, four sites will be identified as a priority for plantings to link the larger reserves. Weed control and low disturbance ripping will be undertaken to prepare the sites and community planting days will be held to revegetate them with endemic trees. Materials will be made available to students about biodiversity and the importance of wildlife corridors in the landscape. Ongoing promotion of the work through local newspapers, flyers and posters will raise awareness of activities and principles of the project. The importance of planting local native trees in relation to biodiversity and as a means to control wind erosion will also be promoted through school programs and local newspaper articles.
Western Australia
| Applicant: | West Midlands Natural Resource Group Incorporated |
|---|---|
| Project ID: | CAG09-00909 |
| Program: | Caring for our Country Community Action Grants |
| Funding: | $13,636.36 |
West Midlands Natural Resource Group has long been actively involved in both on-ground and workshop-based work to assist farmers to develop more sustainable farming practices and raise awareness among the wider community about environment and heritage conservation. Recently the group has been involved in school workshops and environmental planning activities, Aboriginal heritage workshops, sustainable farming and erosion control activities as well as coastal project works.
Coastcare groups have recently been established in the coastal towns of Cervantese, Jurien Bay and Sandy Cape. The West Midlands Group, the Northern Agricultural Catchment Council, the Department of Fisheries and the Department of Environment and Conservation have been assisting these groups in developing their Coastcare management knowledge and skills. Primarily the groups have focused on erosion and dune management and management of recreation and development impact. This project supported dune rehabilitation works at each of these coastal locations in areas identified as a high priority. Through this project the Coastcare groups also developed greater awareness in the community of these coastal issues.
Queensland
| Funding recipient: | Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group Inc |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG10-00510 |
| Funding: | $18 180 |
The Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group work to maintain the diversity of flora and fauna in the cloudy wet highlands of the southern Atherton Tablelands. The area includes cleared land used for beef and dairy production and expansive areas of endangered highland rainforest. They have produced an educational toolkit, conducted population monitoring of Cape York Peninsula Brushtail Possum and Bennett's Tree Kangaroo as well as completing a range of on-ground works to restore riparian areas and enhance existing habitat.
This project will address the threats of habitat loss, degradation and landscape-scale fragmentation in an area identified as being highly vulnerable to the impacts associated with climate change. The Rock road wildlife corridor will connect 1000 hectares of freehold habitat to the Herberton Range National Park. Restoring this corridor will benefit threatened wildlife species endemic to this high altitude rainforest including the endangered southern cassowary and the Lumholtz's tree kangaroo. The group will work to engage and support landowners to rehabilitate, protect and actively manage habitat along the corridor. Works will include construction of stock proof fencing, rehabilitating regrowth and remnant vegetation by removing weeds and replanting approximately two hectares of open pasture land along the corridor. The project aims to rehabilitate and protect 80% of this wildlife corridor, 55 hectares of remnant vegetation. All rehabilitated areas within the corridor will be protected and managed in perpetuity by the landowners under Conservation Agreements or Covenants. Broader community involvement will be fostered through a field day and local media articles.
Queensland
| Funding recipient: | Noosa Integrated Catchment Association Inc. |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Sunshine Beach Bushland Care Group |
| Project ID: | CAG09-00344 |
| Funding: | $17,574 |
The Sunshine Beach Bushland Care Group has been operating for more than five years. Working at the Sunshine Beach Foreshore Reserve they have weeded, rehabilitated and revegetated dunes. The dedicated team hand watered young plants weekly until they established their roots; gathered seed from local trees adjacent to the site to propagate varieties not available in community or commercial nurseries to establish a wider biodiversity; gathered weed seed from other dune areas to stop spread of weeds; and eliminated multitudes of cane toad eggs from shallow lagoons over the breeding season.
The purpose of the project was to weed, rehabilitate and revegetate the dunes and restore a walkway in the Sunshine Beach Foreshore Reserve to re-establish the biodiversity of the site. The project involved contractors and volunteers using manual weeding techniques in conjunction with herbicide treatment of weeds in steep areas, as well as undertaking mulching and watering activities. Propagation of local provenance seed was also undertaken. A colour photo weed identification sticker was designed, printed and applied to wheelie bin lids to educate and engage the local community in regard to the issue of weeds in this area. The weed identification sticker has been very successful and the Sunshine Coast Regional Council have begun using the design for other coastal districts further south, educating a broader community base about invasive environmental weeds.
Tasmania
| Funding recipient: | Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation (formerly known as Mersey Leven Aboriginal Corporation) |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Community group is the funding recipient |
| Project ID: | CAG10-01407 |
| Funding: | $17 850 |
Six Rivers Aboriginal Corporation, formerly known as Mersey Leven Aboriginal Corporation, have been operating for over five years. In 2010 they ran special activities for National Youth Week and NAIDOC week as well as a luncheon for community members with Local Government and Australian Government representatives attended by 75 people. They have conducted field days to assess potential weed infestation and assisted with flora and fauna surveys on leased native bushland sites including Panatana and Marshalls Hill.
This project will prepare a management plan for land fronting the Rubicon Estuary tidal mud flats, which is linked to Narawntapu National Park. A consultant will coordinate the project and prepare the management plan, with recommendations being drawn from flora, fauna and Aboriginal heritage site surveys. Traditional knowledge from Elders and other members of the local Aboriginal community will be obtained through a current natural resource management project and included in the plan. Advice and recommendations from representatives of supporting organisations will also be included in the plan. Information will be shared with all stakeholders through workshops in the field to develop the final plan and for implementing recommended actions.
Tasmania
| Funding recipient: | Huon Valley Council |
|---|---|
| Community group: | Nicholls Rivulet Landcare |
| Project ID: | CAG09-00521 |
| Funding: | $18,182 |
In 2002 the Nicholls Rivulet Landcare Group commissioned the development of a Rivercare plan to guide their activities on the rivulet. In the past two years the group has worked with Huon Valley Council to rehabilitate a section of the rivulet by removing crack willows (a Weed of National Significance) and revegetating with native plants. The group and local community have been inspired with the result and are keen to continue the progress made. The group held a community field day to show landholders how to treat willows which was attended by 30 people. For National Tree Day 2009 40 volunteers planted trees along the rivulet.
This project continues the excellent work already achieved by the Nicholls Rivulet Landcare group in conjunction with Huon Valley Council and NRM South. Using the Rivercare plan to guide and prioritise activities, the group began work on the second stage of the project. Crack willow downstream of the previous control site, were poisoned and then cut down, once the trees died. The site was replanted with native species and sites where fencing was required to keep stock out of the rivulet were fenced. The project will improve water quality and increase habitat. Community working bees assisted in engaging the community in the project.