SOUTH East Natural Resources Management and Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Authority are among 47 organisations selected to deliver the $450m National Landcare Regional Land Partnerships Program.
The program is the second phase of the Federal Government’s $1b program.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the successful tenderers demonstrated they had the knowledge, capability and experience to deliver vital sustainable agriculture services to regional communities.
“This program will be delivered at a local level by groups that know the lay of the land to help our farmers improve their productivity in the good years and the bad,” Mr Littleproud said.
“A focus of the regional program will be on the key element of any farm – soil.
“The program will aim to improve soil health on farms, targeting soil acidification, wind erosion and
hillslope erosion.
“Bit by bit, we are losing our good agricultural soil in this country.
“To remain productive, we need to protect it.
“The program will also focus on helping farmers adapt to growing markets by demonstrating sustainable management practice credentials.”
Assistant Environment Minister Melissa Price said the regional land partnerships were a major investment in Australia’s biodiversity and demonstrated an ongoing commitment to supporting regional and local communities to protect Australia’s natural environment.
“Through the partnerships, the Australian Government will invest in projects that protect our threatened ecological communities, restore our globally-important wetlands and support recovery efforts for species identified under the threatened species strategy,” Ms Price said.
“The projects that will be funded through this program are yet another example that natural resource management can deliver benefits not only for Australia’s unique environment, but also our national economy.
“Over the next five years, the government is investing $450m in local and regional-scale projects that will help us meet the needs of our local communities, while delivering on our national priorities and international obligations.”
Visit www.nrm.gov.au for more information.
