NHT funding - Goldfields region

8/1/99

The improvement of landcare and pastoral management in the Goldfields region will be supported with $50,258 as part of this year's Natural Heritage Trust program.

Primary Industry Minister Monty House today announced a total of $594,275 in Natural Heritage Trust funding had been committed to landcare initiatives in Western Australia.

Mr House said a grant of $41,398 would be made to the North Eastern Goldfields Land Conservation District Committee and the Kalgoorlie Land Conservation District Committee to increase the focus on landcare activities in the Goldfields-Nullarbor region.

The project would involve a strategic approach to co-ordinate and maximise the benefits of landcare activities, as well as assisting local groups to identify, develop and implement landcare projects. Improved co-ordination and increased community participation would have enormous benefits for the region.

A further $8,860 would be allocated to support the efforts of both groups to improve pastoral management. The project would involve the re-launch of Mulga Merinos and Managers.

The publication was written as an education and best practice handbook for rangeland management in the Goldfields region, and would be distributed to pastoral owners, mining companies, Government agencies and the general public.

Mr House said the Natural Heritage Trust focused on improving the ability of communities to work together to sustainably manage their environments and natural resources.

"The Natural Heritage Trust embodies the landcare principle that individual resource managers and owners should take responsibility for the resources they own or control," he said.

"In particular, trust funding for landcare projects must aim to achieve integrated catchment management relating to land, water and vegetation, and to improve sustainable agricultural productivity."

Projects in other regions to receive funding include:

Wellstead Shire - Non-wetting soil management promotion                         

Wellstead LCDC - $9,000

Pindellup Creek revegetation/catchment improvement                                

Tambellup LCDC - $32,960

Jam Creek catchment co-ordination

Tambellup LCDC - $8,800

Bedford Harbour landcare demonstration project                                         

Oldfield Landcare Group - $34,256

Fighting salinity using wider rotations - warm season crops                         

(WA No Tillage Farmers' Association) - $65,000

Pinjalup Creek corridor plan

North Stirling LCDC - $19,710

Employment of Community Landcare Co-ordinator

Cuballing LCDC - $35,491

Protection and rehabilitation of remnant vegetation

Merredin/Nungarin LCDCs - $47,100

Community access to northern catchment information

Agriculture WA, Geraldton - $89,700

Sustainable New Norcia

Benedictine Community of New Norcia - $50,000

Building Networks for Avon Catchment Management                                 

Avon Working Group - $152,000

Media contact: Julie Cole (08) 9481 2044