Coastwest grants awarded to coastal projects State-wide

Grants worth $672,814 have been awarded to 26 conservation and regeneration projects along the Western Australian coastline.

Planning Minister John Day said the 2011 Coastwest grants were for a variety of projects, including dune restoration, improvement of the biodiversity of the coastal vegetation, beach clean ups and the provision of walkways to improve coastal access.  

"The Coastwest grants help the Western Australian community to run projects that maintain our pristine stretches of coastline that are so important to West Australians and appreciated by visitors to our State," Mr Day said.

"These grants encourage the continuation of coastal conservation and regeneration efforts at metropolitan and regional beaches."

The Minister said the grants ranged from $4,900 to $85,155.

"The largest grant will assist local volunteers in conducting four critical waterbird monitoring and educational programs within the Peel-Yalgorup Ramsar Site," he said. 

"The 7th annual WA Beach Clean Up on October 15-16 has received $16,539, which will assist this project to expand to include more than 700 volunteers at 110 coastal sites around WA.

"At Coogee Beach, the unique Native Flora and Fauna Protection project will involve dune rehabilitation and treatment of feral animals to reduce threats on native flora and fauna."

The 2011 Coastwest grants attracted 53 applications for funding, and are funded through a partnership between the Western Australian Planning Commission and the Federal Government's Caring for our Country.

A list of successful grants is attached and can also be found at the PlanningWA website http://www.planning.wa.gov.au