Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad has announced the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) will receive more than $3 million for land, biodiversity, native vegetation and salinity control projects to protect Victoria’s environment in 2010/11.
Ms Broad said the funding was part of a larger Brumby Labor Government commitment of $67.2 million for regional Victoria which is being delivered through the Victorian Investment Framework (VIF).
“We’re investing these funds to help address Victoria’s environmental problems at a regional level, which include repairing and maintaining our land and catchments,” Ms Broad said.
CMAs have been working with the Department of Sustainability and Environment to develop packages of regional projects according to state and regional priorities.
“We’re helping to protect biodiversity in North Central’s region by driving projects that benefit ecosystems and communities including:
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Enhancing the Kerang Ramsar wetlands
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$124,000
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Enhancing values of Gunbower Ramsar site
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$320,000
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Northern Plains conservation
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$50,000
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Upper Loddon and Campaspe priority reaches
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$300,000
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Connecting Country
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$262,000
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Goldfields threatened species project
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$240,000
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Protection of the York Plains wetlands
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$972,000
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Permanent protection and stewardship
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$200,000
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Second Generation Landcare Grants
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$325,000
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Regional Landcare coordination
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$149,000
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Reporting and accounting for salinity
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$240,000
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Farm Plan 21 – North Central asset protection
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$500,000
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Total North Central
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$3,682,000
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“By helping CMAs to protect and enhance habitat, we’re also protecting the threatened plants and animals that live in our catchments as well as tackling salinity, erosion and weeds.”
“Many of the projects receiving Brumby Labor Government funding are run in partnership with other funding programs, or with landholders and groups that supply additional money or labour, all adding up to contributions worth millions more.”
This year’s VIF investment is aimed at supporting the state’s priorities for natural resource management which capture the commitments of the white paper for land and biodiversity, Securing Our Natural Future (2009); Our Water Our Future (2004); and various program strategies.