Revegetation of a degraded paddock in Melton South to create a corridor between two environmentally significant areas is one of the projects that will be funded in the latest round of the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Vision for Werribee Plains grants program.
Five grants totalling $168,000 have been approved in round three of the three-year, $10 million program, which supports sustainability initiatives in the Werribee Plains region covering the municipalities of Brimbank, Melton, Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Wyndham and parts of Moorabool and Greater Geelong.
Vision for Werribee Plains Project Manager Max Coster said the grants would enable some important environmental education and sustainability projects in an area experiencing rapid population growth.
“Vision for Werribee Plains grants fund environmental projects and encourage everyone in the community to value and care for the natural features of Werribee Plains,” Mr Coster said.
Funding recipients are:
Western Water - $33,400 for a biodiversity corridor to link the Pinkerton Forest and Bush’s paddock in Melton South. Two highly regarded Plains Woodlands sites will be linked through regeneration of a 12ha paddock formerly known as the ‘Sludge Paddock’ at the Surbiton Park recycled water plant, using tree seedlings and native grasses selected from the local area.
Australian Plants Society - Keilor Plains - $17,643 for a web-based environmental data-sharing system. The project will create a self-managing, interactive, web-based facility for documenting flora, fauna and other environmental information for groups across the Werribee Plains. The web-based facility will enable easy recording of sightings of flora and fauna, and will include species information and photographs, identification tips, a calendar documenting environmental events, species distribution maps and photopoint monitoring.
Quang Minh Temple, Braybrook - $96,000 for a sustainable waste management system matched to local gardens and environment enhancement projects that will enable the Quang Minh Temple to teach practical sustainability in a Buddhist context, and a sector of the community that is not reached by current sustainability programs.
Parwan Landcare Group - $13,560 for a biodiversity recovery project in the Parwan Gorge. The project builds on previous environmental works in this spectacular gorge on the Werribee River. It will involve removal of boxthorn and serrated tussock, fencing of grassland and lignum swamp, and revegetation on three properties with significant remnant native vegetation. The project will also include promotion of Landcare in the local community through field walks, press articles and a website.
Western Melbourne Catchments Network - $7000 for the production of a DVD titled Through the grasslands – Short Stories of the West Melbourne Catchments. The DVD will include a number of short films capturing historical and environmental experiences within the Werribee catchment, and will be used in schools and available in libraries.
For more information on the next round of the Vision for Werribee Plains program, please call the DSE Customer Service Centre on 136 186.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 September 2009 00:43