2008-09 ACT Environment Grants

On Monday 21 July 2008 the Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change Jon Stanhope announced the 7 successful recipients of the 2008–2009 ACT Environment Grants. The grants provide financial assistance to community-based environmental projects in the ACT.

Successful applications were those that best addressed funding priorities focused on community engagement and developing partnerships with Government, particularly in relation to the Canberra Plan strategic theme: Living with the Environment - our Bush Capital.

Funding was awarded to 7 projects valued at $111,026.

The successful projects are:

• Desexing to Avoid Feral Cats – RSPCA (ACT) Inc.  This project seeks to reduce unwanted & feral cats in the Bush Capital through taking pre-emptive measures with a desexing program.  Community education sessions will be held to promote responsible pet ownership and increase awareness of how reducing the number of unwanted cats can lessen the harmful impact they have on native fauna. 
   Granted $15,500.
• Mapping Lower Molonglo Community GIS Mentoring Project – Mapping Lower Molonglo Project Steering Group.  This project will mentor community members, especially the youth, in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data Sets for the Lower Molonglo River Catchment.
  Granted $13,500.
• Biodiversity Enhancement of Tuggeranong Homestead Creek-line – Southern ACT Catchment Group Inc.  This project will rehabilitate the Tuggeranong Homestead creek-line through removal of woody weed understorey & revegetation with indigenous native trees, shrubs and grasses improving the biodiversity value of the area.
  Granted $17,050.
• Celebrating Namadgi National Park – A Multi-media Publication – National Parks Association of the ACT Inc.  The NPA will commission & publish electronic and written material about Namadgi National Park to educate & promote the park as a place of conservation & recreation.
  Granted $15,000.
• Woden Eco Challenge: Community Learning Project – Woden SEE-Change Inc.  This project issues an eco-challenge for the Woden area to decrease carbon & ecological footprints.  Community workshops, classes & events will provide awareness, information, tools & motivation to support the residents to adopt more sustainable practices.
  Granted $14,358.
• BERT – Bicycle (CO2) Emission Reduction Trial – Jamison SEE-Change Footprint Challenge Inc.  A pilot project providing a sustainable model of transportation for families using bicycle cargo & child trailers.  They will monitor use to quanitfying greenhouse gas emission reduction while promoting a healthier lifestyle, generating community involvement in reducing the ecological footprint in the ACT.
  Granted $10,000.
• ACTNow – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Conservation Council South East Region and Canberra Inc.  This project will help to reignite community support for the goal of achieving No Waste by 2010.  Bringing attention to consumption patterns, improve the recovery rates of all recyclables & green waste with particular focus on multiunit complexes, festivals, events and the workplace. 
  Granted $25,618.