Seventeen Local Groups to Benefit from Environmental Levy Funds

Just under $347,000 is to be shared by 17 local community organisations in the latest distribution of Council’s Environmental Levy funding.

The Levy invites applications from community-based organisations and individuals interested in helping to improve or sustain our local environment. Under the programme, grants worth between $2,000 and $25,000 are available per project.

Council introduced the Environmental Levy (EL) as a means of encouraging local residents and organisations to undertake environmental management and improvement works. The levy currently raises around $1.3 million a year at an average cost of $44 per ratepayer, of which approximately $300,000 is available to community groups.

“This year saw yet another diverse range of projects put forward by groups that are passionate about their work,” said Coffs Harbour Mayor Councillor Denise Knight.

Pictured above is a previously funded initiative – Envite’s Pandanus Dieback Recovery Project.

The following projects have received funding in the 2020/2021 round of EL funding:

  Applicant Project Name Amount ($) Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare Growing Our Future 2020/21 24,944 Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare Weeds of the North Coast of NSW – Resource Update 17,086 Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Land Council Improving Our Coast 25,000 Envite Boambee East/Toormina Koala Corridor Improvement 24,697 Envite Upper Bonville Riparian Restoration Action Stage 1 24,938 Envite Coffs Harbour Native Seedbank Network 10,798 Jaliigirr Biodiversity Alliance Canine Scent Detectives Promoting Koala Population Health in Jaliigirr Corridors 25,000 Jetty Dunecare Restore and Enhance the Natural Environment of Boambee Beach North 25,000 Jetty Dunecare Restore and Enhance the Natural Environment of Jetty Foreshores 25,000 Jetty Dunecare Pre-empting the Sleeping Invader – Glory Lily @ Boambee Beach 25,000 Nana Glen Landcare Group Inc The Effects of Nitrates on Macroinvertebrates and River Health – Final Sampling Year 24,000 Sandy Beach Action Group Rain Event Water Monitoring of Agricultural Chemicals in Hearnes Lake Catchment 9,857 Sandy Beach Action Group Revegetation of Sandy Beach Reserve Stage 3 4,800 Southern Cross University Regional Upscaling of Catchment Nitrogen Loads Along the Coffs Coast 24,000 Southern Cross University Nitrogen Transport in Coffs Creek Over Seasonal and Flood Scales 24,000 Southern Cross University Heavy Metal Deposition in Estuaries Downstream of Intensive Horticulture Activity 24,000 Woolgoolga Lake Working Group Caring for our Waterways 8,694 Total 346,814

Examples of the successful 2020/2021 projects include:

Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Lands Council – Improving Our Coast. This project aims to rehabilitate 15 hectares of coastal vegetation within Moonee Beach Nature Reserve and Coffs Coast Regional Park.  The project will enhance Endangered Ecological Communities’ Littoral rainforest, Themeda headland grasslands and threatened species. Awarded a grant of $25,000.

Jaliigirr Biodiversity Alliance – Canine Scent Detectives Promoting Koala Population Health in Jaliigirr Corridors. The project will collect koala activity data activity, in an area known to support an important but fragmented koala population, by undertaking scat detection surveys using trained koala scent detection dogs.  It will focus on locating and recording activity of koala individuals and collect and store fresh scat material where possible for future genetic analysis.  The target area for this study will focus on the linkage corridors in the Sawtell, Toormina and Boambee East area. Awarded a grant of $25,000.

Southern Cross University – Heavy Metal Deposition in Estuaries Downstream of Intensive Horticulture Activity. This project will conduct heavy metal analyses in current and historical sediments in several coastal wetlands to isolate the source of heavy metals potentially entering the estuaries.  The research will look at in-depth sediment chemistry analyses including sediment dating to investigate possible heavy metal contamination from the early 1900s to the present.  The areas selected for sampling will include estuaries in both long-established intensive horticulture operations on former banana and more recent blueberry plantation sites, as well as areas with little agricultural activity for comparative purposes. Awarded a grant of $24,000.

Woolgoolga Lake Working Group – Caring for Our Waterways. This project will monitor water quality on the Woolgoolga Lake waterways using a scientifically rigorous approach to identify priority areas for management action.  The Working Group aims to engage, collaborate, and educate the broader community on the impact they may have on their environment.  Field research will include the involvement of Woolgoolga High School class groups where applicable.  The Working Group will support any recovery actions that may be needed to ensure the health and continuation of endangered and threatened species in the ecosystem of Woolgoolga Lake. Awarded a grant of $8,694.