14 June
2006 - Funding to save the endangered Corroboree
Frog from extinction and to fight salinity, erosion
and pollution in the Murray River and its surrounds
are among 49 major environmental projects soon
to be underway across NSW, courtesy of the Australian
and State governments.
Australian Government Ministers
for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian
Campbell, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry,
Peter McGauran, and NSW Ministers for the Environment,
Bob Debus, and Natural Resources, Primary Industries,
and Minerals, Ian Macdonald, today announced $21
million in funding from the National Action Plan
for Salinity and Water Quality and the National
Heritage Trust.
Senator Campbell said $329,600
would be committed to save the Corroboree Frog
from extinction in the wild, using ground-breaking
methods which may also benefit other frog species.
“The project will look at developing
community engagement in rescue efforts, as well
as attracting corporate sponsorship for the Corroboree
Frog,” Senator Campbell said.
“The project will also include
reintroducing captive-bred frogs into the Jugungal
wilderness in the upper reaches of the Murray
catchment.
“Another $260,000 in funding
will allow the Murray Catchment Management Authority
to work with landowners to preserve the habitat
of the Bush Stone-curlew, a ground-nesting bird
which could all but disappear from NSW within
50 years if action isn’t taken.”
Senator Campbell said the funding
also covered a number of important projects targeting
salinity, erosion and pollution affecting the
Murray River and surrounding areas. This includes
$525,000 for capital works on the 480ha Thegoa
Lagoon, between the Murray and Darling rivers
at Wentworth, NSW.
He said improving the water
flow to this lagoon, which was once connected
with the Murray and Darling rivers, would help
protect this important wetland area and its sensitive
vegetation.”
Funding will also be used to
study regenerating native vegetation by using
fire.
Mr McGauran said this could
give farmers ways of better managing native grass
and limiting invasion of woody species.
“This could have both economic
and environmental benefits,” Mr McGauran said.
Separately, up to $397,000 would
be committed to help the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment
Management Authority to work with orchardists
to monitor crop damage by Grey Headed Flying Foxes.
“Grey Headed Flying Foxes are
a threatened species but they are also a significant
pest for orchardists,” Mr McGauran said.
“Information from this project
may be useful in building realistic, balanced
recovery strategies for the animal,” he said.
Mr Macdonald said a $3.322 million
dryland salinity research and monitoring project
in eight key sites around NSW was one of a number
of significant projects looking at better managing
dryland salinity to protect natural ecosystems
and ensure sustainable agriculture practices.
“Other projects include helping
the Green Gully community, which has been battling
increasing salinity for more than 15 years, through
saltbush plantings and improved farm practices.
Drainage works to the cost of $200,000 will help
safeguard the area into the future, reducing the
threat of salinity to downstream river red gums
and the Murray River,” Mr McDonald said.
He said great white sharks and
grey nurse sharks would be the focus of two projects
receiving funding.
“One project will involve the
tagging of juvenile Great White Sharks in the
waters off Stockton beach to obtain much needed
information which will be used for long-term conservation
activities,” Mr Macdonald said.
“The other will document the
localised and migratory movements of Grey Nurse
Sharks, as well as monitoring interaction with
commercial and recreation fishermen and educating
the community about the sharks.”
Mr Debus said $500,000 was being
allocated to revive wetlands in the southern coastal
rivers area and on an incentives program to increase
awareness in the community about the ecological
importance of estuaries and coastal lagoons.
“Coastal wetlands and lagoons
are stressed environments and these projects will
help catchment management authorities raise the
profile of the coastal environment and encourage
local councils, communities and private landholders
to carry out rehabilitation and protection work,”
Mr Debus said.
“A two year incentive program
will help local councils and other land managers
implement priority works.
“Another project will establish
pilot sites for habitat management for the Broad-headed
snake, a threatened species, and develop a captive
breeding program to educate the community about
the significance of the species and habitat protection.”
The funding goes to the catchment
management authorities overseeing the areas in
which the projects are sited and to agencies that
are collaborating with the authorities to deliver
on State-wide priorities. It comprises $8.5 million
from the Australian Government’s $3 billion Natural
Heritage Trust and $12.5 million in joint funding
from the Australian and NSW Governments’ National
Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. /
Marianne McCabe (Minister Campbell) / Russ Neal
(Minister McGauran) / Jason Bartlett (Minister
Macdonald) / Chris Ward (Minister Debus) 02 9995
5347
For more information on the
Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action
Plan for Salinity and Water Quality visit www.nrm.gov.au
