A new crowdfunding initiative to support threatened species survival in Victoria will enable Victorians to personally get behind flora and fauna projects they are passionate about.
Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Lisa Neville today also announced that Community Volunteer Action Grants have been awarded to more than eighty groups from across the state, who will carry out on-ground works to protect threatened species.
Community groups receiving grants worth more than $1.2 million as part of the State Government’s Threatened Species Initiative will this week kick off online crowdfunding campaigns, that allow them to expand their conservation projects.
A range of community citizen science and restoration projects have been funded, including protection of Hooded Plover nesting sites on East Gippsland coastal beaches through fencing and signage, habitat surveys of Striped Legless Lizard in the northeast of Victoria; and weed removal and planting of new habitat for Bibron’s Toadlet at Castlemaine, for Long-nosed Potoroo in the Otways and for Dwarf Galaxias in Watson’s Creek, north of Melbourne.
Five community groups will launch online crowdfunding campaigns that anyone can contribute money to, in a first for the Andrews Labor Government. Campaigns that reach their target funds will receive a matched grant from the Victorian Government to support their conservation efforts.The Labor Government is partnering with Pozible, Australia’s foremost crowdfunding platform to promote the threatened species conservation campaigns.
The grants are part of the Government’s $5.2 million Threatened Species Protection Initiative which includes $2 million to support community projects to undertake immediate action for threatened species through activities such as habitat creation, restoration and site protection.
A second round of community grants will be available in early 2016 to continue support for the community’s valuable work in protecting threatened species.
A further $3 million of threatened species protection works will be delivered by Government and partner organisations through the Initiative's Critical Action and Strategic Partnerships grants.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, Lisa Neville
“I’m proud to announce the recipients of the Community Volunteer Action Grants to support Victorians who are working to help protect their local threatened species.”
“These grants will support important threatened species protection work at a local level, through activities such as planting vegetation, building fences, species monitoring and creating suitable habitat for threatened species.”
“I encourage anyone, anywhere, who is passionate about conservation and helping save our species, to get behind these exciting grassroots campaigns."
Reviewed 10 February 2021