Victorian Volcanic Plains Biodiversity Grants

 
The Corangamite CMA Victorian Volcanic Plains Biodiversity Grants have funded many interesting projects over the last two years. One recent example is the Beeac Primary School who developed the 'Brolga Pathways Project' to raise awareness of the region's threatened Brolga population associated with the Western District Lakes. This was done in conjunction with Creative Victoria and with funding support from the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority through the biodiversity grants program.

The project included creating a number of Brolga sculptures with artist Peter Day and a traditional 'Brolga Dance' by Aboriginal cultural leader Jamie Marloo as part of their activities. A number of these works were exhibited as part of the Red Rock Galleries 'Cross Pollination' exhibit in July, 2017.

The Corangamite CMA's Victorian Volcanic Plains 'Biodiversity Grants' program supports biodiversity projects on private land, and for engagement activities delivered through local community groups, the program is support by the Australian Government's National Landcare Programme.

The purpose of these 'biodiversity grants' is to support community and private landholder involvement in protecting, enhancing or promoting Victorian Volcanic Plains and Western District Lakes natural areas, native vegetation or wetlands. The focus is around on-ground works such as weed management and stock exclusion as well as community awareness and engagement activities.

Areas of particular interest through this program include the protection and / or management of one or more of the following:

• Remnant native vegetation – an area of vegetation where at least 25 per cent of the total plant cover is native.
• Natural wetlands – wetlands that would have naturally occurred within the landscape prior to European settlement.
• Large old paddock trees – isolated trees, remnants of woodlands found in intensively managed agricultural landscapes and predominantly occur on land that is grazed or cultivated and typically have a highly modified understory.
• Threatened native vegetation communties, flora or fauna – plants or animals that are listed as threatened under state and federal legislation such as Plains Grassland vegetation, Spiny Rice Flower, Button Wrinklewort and Corangamite Water Skink to name a few.

Corangamite CMA is also looking for opportunities to work with community groups to promote awareness about broader aspects of  the Victorian Volcanic Plains, including their social and cultural importance and promoting awareness of protecting the declining natural values of these areas.
For more details contact our office.