There is a funding opportunity to support bush regeneration on public and private land. The $250,000 grant runs over six years.
The closing date for the application is 14/2/12. The Progress Association is putting in an application and would like to include as many interested property owners as possible.
The Community Bush Regeneration Large Projects Stream of the NSW Environmental Trust is a new grant that recognises that it takes time and effort to get the upper hand on weeds. The aim of the grant is to facilitate projects run by local community groups to undertake large, long term bush regeneration projects.
The grant also aims to improve the capacity of communities to protect, restore and enhance the environment by strengthening local community organisations whose primary purpose is to undertake works in their local area.
This grant is perfect for the community the Progress Association supports and the objectives for which the Association was established.
One of the features and assets of the Coal Point community is the large number of big bushland blocks that form a mosaic of public/private land along the length of the peninsula.
Patches of the bushland are almost perfect, in a weed free way, but then there are pockets of severe weed infestations that would be daunting to most mere mortals.
The bushland corridor that we call home is also home to a couple of threatened species, the ever-so-cute Squirrel Glider and the pretty in pink Tetratheca juncea.
There are not a lot of government grants that will fund work on private property, but this one does! This provides a very rare chance to get that helping hand or ten that many people have been waiting for.
Lake Macquarie City Council’s Landcare Officers have agreed the project has merit and at the bare minimum a successful application would result in the public land receiving the benefits of professional bush regeneration teams.
However the long term legacy of the project would be greater if private land holders were also included in the bush regeneration activities.
Do you want your bushland block included in the grant?
Part of the application requires the details of the parties that own or have legal responsibility for the proposed project site. If you own the land, this means you.
If the application is successful formal permission will be required, for the time being it will be enough to include the location of your block so it can be put on a map and a statement that you’re interested.
Please contact Suzanne Pritchard, the person who is writing the funding application with your details or enquiries by Tues 7/2/12 either by email to coalpointprogress@gmail.com or by phone 4969 1500 during the day, ask for Suzanne, or in the evening 4959 6741.
Some initial ideas that will be incorporated into the project are:
- Lots of Bush Regeneration, including weed removal and planting for and slope and foreshore stabilisation
- a series of field days along the peninsula to provide weed identification training and removal techniques
- installing habitat features to enhance the Squirrel Glider corridor so that it can extend its range.
- providing a plant swap of local plants for natives to replace fruiting weeds such as Asparagus fern, Privet, African Olive with local natives
- A community event or two in the hall to share pictures of the amazing local flora & fauna
- Community celebrations of major outcomes
- A changeable weed of the month sign to help with targeting weeds
- Other ideas are most welcome.
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