Applications close on Friday, October 26, for the much sought after Be Natural Landcare Community Garden Grants which are being offered to community groups, schools and youth groups around the country to kick-start local environmental projects.
Twenty grants of up to $2500 are available for projects including, but not limited to, community gardens, bush tucker gardens, greening urban spaces, inner-city veggie patches or green walls. Projects should also focus on engaging with local communities and practical opportunities for people to get involved and learn about local environmental issues.
Be Natural Cereals and Snacks first partnered with Landcare Australia in 2010 and, over the past two years, have supported 34 local environmental projects that have seen groups of volunteers tackle a variety of issues.
Projects funded through last year’s Be Natural Landcare grants program include a revegetation project on Queensland’s Gold Coast undertaken by BeachCare and the erection of a walking track by Cremorne Coastcare group to protect a coastal area in Tasmania. The construction of shelters for possums and gliders in Victoria by Pentland Hills Landcare and the revegetation of disturbed land by the Hunter Wetlands Centre in New South Wales were also projects that received funding through the partnership.
Nik Scotcher, Be Natural spokesperson, said there is a natural fit between the Be Natural values and the Landcare movement.
“We are excited to partner again with Landcare Australia and to drive the Be Natural Landcare Community Garden grants. There is a genuine synergy between both Be Natural and Landcare Australia’s philosophy for protecting and conserving our environment. We’re encouraging all communities to get involved and to think about how they might like to green up their local community spaces and grow natural produce to share with each other,” he said.
CEO of Landcare Australia, Heather Campbell, believes that the funding provided through the Be Natural Landcare program will be of great benefit to local groups.
“Landcare and volunteer community groups across Australia are doing fantastic work at a local level tackling ongoing environmental issues. Through this grants program, we want to focus on encouraging edible gardens that benefit the whole community,” she said.
The Be Natural Landcare Community Garden Grants are available to any community environmental volunteer group, including schools, and applications close on Friday, October 26. More information about the grants, criteria and application forms can be found on www.landcareonline.com.au.
