Queensland's Nature Refuge landholders will be able to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support their invaluable work maintaining nature refuges on their properties.
Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch annouced that the latest round of the Palaszczuk Government's Nature Refuge Landholder Grants opened today (24 May) and landholders can apply for a share of $457,000.
"Queensland has the largest private protected area network in Australia which protects a growing area of wildlife and wildlife habitats."
"Across the state there are 520 nature refuges covering 4.45 million hectares - that's almost a third of our whole protected area estate," Ms Enoch said.
"Landholders who have nature refuges on their land play a vital role in protecting our biodiversity as they sustain, maintain and enhance the conservation values present.
"The work these landholders are doing compliments the role of our national parks and these grants are our way of recognising and supporting the public value of this work.
"Each small grant can make a very big difference to the biodiversity outcomes on our nature refuges."
Ms Enoch said Rounds 1 and 2 of the grants resulted in 123 landholders receiving $680,636 to assist with environmental work on their nature refuges.
"This work included projects such as replanting native vegetation, improving fencing and undertaking ecological burns to help regenerate ecosystems.
"Our Nature Refuge landholders are dedicated to the environment, preserving their land for future generations and complementing our role in maintaining and growing the national and conservation parks estate in Queensland.
"They do a fantastic job and help ensure the ongoing success of Queensland's Nature Refuges Program."
The grants are open to landholders with existing nature refuges on their properties and close on Friday 21 June 2019.
To be eligible for funding, projects had to have a clear conservation outcome for the nature refuge, as well as enhance the resilience and sustainable management of the property.
