- State Natural Resource Management Community Stewardship Grants shared by 51 grassroots projects
- Grants to boost local efforts to conserve and enhance the State's valuable environmental assets
- Builds on Cook Government's legacy of protecting and restoring our environment
The Cook Government today announced $7 million to support 51 community-driven projects to protect and enhance Western Australia's diverse natural assets.
Community Stewardship Grants have been awarded to environmental projects across the State, including 31 small grants for short-term projects and 20 large grants for longer term endeavours.
Successful projects encompass landcare capacity building, revegetation, catchment rehabilitation, wetlands and coastal conservation, salinity management, invasive species control, and protection of endangered species.
In the metropolitan area, the Mullaloo Beach Community Group will drive a community engagement project focused on restoring native vegetation, improving dune resilience, and enhancing the coastal corridor for local flora and fauna for the Mullaloo foreshore.
Bannister Creek Catchment Group will foster environmental stewardship among students from Bannister Creek Primary School and Lynwood Senior High School through hands-on education and engagement, while Friends of Upper Lesmurdie Falls will tackle invasive species and propagate 3,000 plants of local provenance species for rehabilitation planting.
In regional WA, Community Stewardship Grants will help Peel-Harvey Catchment Council to expand its on-ground activities to rehabilitate and restore at eight priority sites on the Hotham and Williams rivers, the Fitzroy Fire Working Group to develop a collaborative approach to reducing the wildfire risk in the region, and the Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Inc to bolster its volunteer, citizen science, and conservationist programs.
Other project examples include hooded plover monitoring and awareness, rock wallaby translocations, cultural fire practice workshops, restoration of rivers to be resilient to climate change effects, improving native seed supplies, and bushland conservation.
The grants are part of an ongoing Cook Government funding commitment to the State Natural Resource Management (NRM) Program.
A full list of 2025-26 Community Stewardship Grants is available online at www.dpird.wa.gov.au/CSG .
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"Since 2019, we've supported more than 500 grassroots not-for-profit and volunteer projects that care for the State's diverse and valuable natural assets, from the Kimberley to the Great Southern, with $56 million worth of Community Stewardship Grants.
"These latest grants will further support these dedicated local groups, many of them volunteers, who undertake stewardship of natural resources in their area.
"The Cook Government is committed to protecting and restoring our environment to ensure it can be enjoyed by future generations."
As stated by the Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn:
"These grants recognise the expertise, volunteer commitment, and strong community partnerships that drive sustainable management of Western Australia's natural resources.
"It's terrific to see such a diverse range of projects being supported - from habitat restoration to threatened species protection - all contributing to a healthier environment and stronger biodiversity across the State."
As stated by Water Minister Don Punch:
"Protecting our natural water resources delivers benefits to our community and supports WA's unique ecosystem and rich biodiversity.
"There are a range of projects which focus on waterway health, river, and wetland protection, as well as preserving marine and coastal environments."
