The Cradle Coast Authority (CCA) has been appointed as the region’s natural resource management service provider under the Australian Government’s Regional Land Partnerships program. Federal Environment Minister, the Honourable Sussan Ley MP, confirmed the appointment following a tender process conducted earlier this year.
The Regional Land Partnerships program will deliver $450 million of funding over five years. Around 200 projects have so far been funded under the program, across the 56 management units in Australia.
Cradle Coast Authority’s CEO, Daryl Connelly said the announcement followed an intensive planning and prioritisation process.
“We are looking forward to continuing to deliver high-quality NRM projects across the region. This announcement provides certainty of ongoing funding, most of which will be spent on meaningful on-ground initiatives to protect our productive soils and improve the trajectory of the region’s threatened species” Mr Connelly said.
Under the program, CCA’s NRM business unit, Cradle Coast NRM, has been approved to deliver four projects worth more than $3 million between now and June 2023. Other projects may follow. The projects approved are:
- Protecting our Productive Soils; a sustainable agriculture project built around reducing soil loss caused by hillslope erosion and soil
- Creating a Hooded Plover Stronghold on Three Hummock Island; a threatened species protection project which involves eradicating feral cats from the
- Giant Freshwater Crayfish Recovery; focussing on improving the aquatic and riparian habitat of this iconic
- Circular Head Coastal Saltmarsh Protection; reducing the key threats to the Threatened Ecological Community, Coastal Saltmarsh.
In addition, the Government has also announced that $260,000 will be provided to Cradle Coast NRM under the Environment Restoration Fund, to reduce Rice Grass infestation in the Rubicon Estuary, with the support of Latrobe Council.
CCA’s Regional NRM Manager, Spencer Gibbs, emphasised the importance of strong partnerships in the region.
“These projects will be delivered in partnership with local Councils, Landcare groups, NGOs like Tasmanian Land Conservancy and BirdLife Australia, as well as individual landholders. We’re proud of the great relationships we’ve built across the region over many years of NRM project delivery and we’re looking forward to starting the new projects” said Mr Gibbs.
CCA Chairman Sid Sidebottom welcomed the decision.
“These projects, together with the NRM work that the Tasmanian Government funds us to deliver are vital for the region. Maintaining our region’s clean, green environment is fundamental to ensuring that our corner of the island remains a great place for people to live, work, visit and invest. I wish to thank our staff and our Regional NRM Committee for all of the hard work they have put into securing this funding for the region” said Mr Sidebottom.
Regional Land Partnerships projects are supported by the Cradle Coast Authority, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
More information about the new projects can be found HERE.
