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Latrobe City To Provide Sustainability Focused Financial AssistanceApplications are being accepted for Latrobe City’s funding program to assist landholders to protect and enhance native vegetation on their property. By Latrobe City Shire - 17th September 2010 - Back to News The Native Vegetation Protection Incentive Scheme will see a rate rebate of up to $500 provided to landholders for actions including; weed control, the construction of fences to prevent stock grazing or any other damage to native vegetation, covenants, legal agreements, property planning, and the erection of nesting boxes or other actions that will protect native vegetation and biodiversity.
Latrobe City’s natural environment sustainability manager, Deirdre Griepsma, said that the incentives help Latrobe City recover its lost and damaged native vegetation.
"Native vegetation and biodiversity are crucial in order for sustainable land management; they are also essential for a healthy eco-system, which is what provides us with clean air, water and food. By clearing native vegetation, many problems can arise; including salinity, erosion, climate change, and a lack of biodiversity. It can also threaten tourism, agriculture, and property value.
"Research has shown that between 30 to 35 per cent of land must be bushland in order for a sustainable landscape. At the moment, Latrobe City is covered with only around 20 per cent bushland, with much of that heavily degraded. Much work needs to be done now, to ensure that Latrobe City can have a sustainable future," Ms Griepsma said.
Native Vegetation Protection Incentives applications forms are available from any of Council’s Citizen Service Centres or from Latrobe City’s website www.latrobe.vic.gov.au. Applications close Friday 29 October 2010.
Contact Cameron McGregor from Latrobe City’s sustainability and environment unit on 1300 367 700.
Another rebate scheme that provides financial assistance is Trust for Nature.
Trust for Nature’s West Gippsland conservation officer, Debbie Topp, explained that some people don’t realise the value in their bush, so they don’t understand why it’s worth protecting.
"The Trust’s purpose is to protect, manage, and conserve biodiversity, as it’s the vital interactions between flora and fauna that maintain a healthy ecosystem. Every ecosystem, from grasslands to wetlands, has its own value and function in keeping our environment sustainable.
"Our current focus is to protect the critically endangered woodland and grasslands on the Gippsland Plains. Only about 13 per cent of Red Gum woodlands remain on the plain, and of this, 90 per cent are on private land. Protecting this endangered ecosystem is going to take a community effort.
"One negative perception that many landholders have of covenants is that they will by locking away their land. That’s not the case. They are about working with landholders to protect remnant vegetation and biodiversity while working around the landholder’s use of the land," Ms Topp concluded.
For more information on Trust for Nature, phone 1800 99 99 33 or visit www.trustfornature.org.au.
Media Enquiries:
Vicky Daddo, Media Relations Officer
Telephone: 5128 5346 or 5126 5458 or 0407 862 977
Jacinta Kennedy, Manager Community Relations
Telephone: 5128 5421 or 0401 824 195
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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