Community Groups set to make big changes
Posted on March 14th, 2019
Fitzroy Basin Association Inc. (FBA) has awarded $60,000 in community grants to eight local not-for-profit organisations dedicated to creating positive environmental change, thanks to the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
FBA’s Engagement Manager Rebecca French said that the funding empowers and enables local community groups to lead both tried and true projects, or novel tactics that aim to enhance the environment, support special species or increase community awareness and action.
“We were blown away with the number of applicants we saw this year, and the quality of the project plans they put forward,” she said.
“FBA is proud to support important projects that will contribute to the protection and improvement of our beautiful natural assets and provide a cleaner, greener and more connected community. We would like to thank all the groups who took the time to forward their ideas, and we look forward to seeing environmental change as these projects move to the next stage.”
The projects, which are supported by FBA through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, include:
Bush Heritage Australia who will use their funding to set up camera traps to monitor threatened species and invasive animals on Goonderoo Reserve near Emerald. The project includes a koala monitoring program and community event open to the public.
Capricorn Coast Landcare Group who have already started coastal dune revegetation, weed control and regenerative activities on Farnborough Beach to restore priority dune areas. The health of these dunes impacts many native animals and plants including marine turtles who nest there every year.
Conservation Volunteers Australia have received funding to complete on-ground work and community engagement activities at Canoe Point, Wild Cattle Creek and Lillies Beach. Digging in deep, this project will protect and strengthen environmentally significant coastal waterways from the increasing impacts of urban pressures, erosion, marine debris and invasive weeds. Over the coming months Conservation Volunteers will spend many days out on the local beaches.
Friends of Boyne Island Environmental Education Centre have received funding to produce a range of educational resources for their citizen science program called ‘Coral Watch’. The team has lots of exciting materials on the way including a Coral Identification Guide, Coral at your Doorstep pamphlet, a virtual reef banner and more!
Jolly Rogers Fishing Club community grant will enable them to extend the fantastic work that they have been doing in the Fitzroy Basin. For several years, the fishing club have been conducting weekly clean-ups of the Fitzroy River, removing floating debris and hazardous submerged objects. The group is made up of a team of hardworking volunteers who dedicate their own time and boats to the improve the local ecosystem. Through their hard work, the club aims to educate and inspire people who use the local waterways and reef to bring back one more piece of plastic than they took.
North Keppel Island Environmental Education Centre who have already removed one tonne of invasive weeds species from two beaches in one weekend on North Keppel Island. The enthusiastic group will be back before the month is out to uproot more weeds, giving native flora and fauna and chance to flourish.
Wildlife Carers Network who are already working hard to dispel some commonly held myths about flying foxes. A two-day workshop, held earlier this month, saw loads of locals learning to love bats and how they can contribute to sustaining a healthy Flying Fox population. This great work will continue over the coming months, and aims to provide vaccination and training to more wildlife carers.
Yeppoon Inlet Association will continue their work to assist owners to remove the remaining decaying jetty structures in Fig Tree Creek. Additionally, the group, who also won themselves a 2018 FBA Community Grant, will be developing an Environmental Management Plan for the inlet by running community activities in the area.
The effects of these two projects will be felt all the way out to the Great Barrier Reef and across the region. We would like to thank and congratulate all the volunteers who selflessly donate their time and resources to make these fantastic projects happen. If you would like to help either one of these groups, more information can be found on their social media pages.
To find out about the 2019 community grant rounds please contact us.
