The NSW Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Robyn Parker has announced funding of $4.4 million to establish the NSW section of a 3,600 kilometre conservation corridor between far north Queensland and the Grampians in Victoria.

 

The Great Eastern Ranges (GER) Initiative will see the establishment of one of the longest conservation corridors in the world.

 

Ms Parker said the new four-year funding grant under the NSW Environmental Trust is an important step in recognising and acting on the State’s conservation priorities.

 

“The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative has significant and active grass roots support from conservation organisations as well as private landholders surrounding this vast tract of land.”

 

Four conservation organizations - Greening Australia, The National Parks Association of NSW, The Nature Conservation Trust and OzGreen - in partnership with the Office of Environment and Heritage, have been working with rural communities to identify conservation priorities and facilitating on-ground action along the Great Eastern Ranges of NSW.

 

 Ms Parker said the new funding grant will help build new partnerships with networks of local organizations, giving these groups resources to take action on local threats to conservation values such as weeds and pests as well as protect and restore existing habitat values.

 

“What the GER Initiative does is bring people together into an integrated strategy. Opportunities for collaboration are created and the result will be the establishment of one of the longest and most significant conservation corridors in the world.

 

More information is available at http://www.greateasternranges.org.au/