Individuals, Landcare and Natural Resource Management groups have until Monday 9 January 2012 to apply for grants of up to $20,000 to undertake flood-related environmental recovery and enhancement works.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is managing the funding made available by the Australian Government’s Natural Disaster Environmental Recovery program to support the community to do this important work.

Mr Daniel Mudford, Flood Recovery Manager with the North Central CMA, said the funding is for projects that repair recent flood damage to previous environmental protection works, such as revegetation or fencing, and/or protect or enhance environmental benefits from the floods such as natural regeneration. 

Mr Mudford confirmed the funding is in addition to the Australian Government’s Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Funding that was recently announced.

“This new funding extends our flood recovery program.  It allows us to get much needed assistance to communities, landholders and Landcare groups to reinstate previous environmental works funded though government programs such as Envirofund that have not been covered until now. We have also seen many environmental benefits from the floods - including mass regeneration of native plants - that are important to protect as we may not see this happen again for a while.

“Funded activities may include flood debris cleanup, repairing damaged fences which were erected to protect native vegetation and erecting new fencing in areas where important native vegetation has germinated following the floods, particularly along waterways.

“Other possible activities include re-establishing damaged revegetation; weed control works where sites have been exposed to increased weed risk as a result of the floods (soil or plant material movement) and rabbit control to prevent predation on sensitive vegetation.