$11.4m boost to protect native vegetation in regional South Australia
Landowners can now apply for a share of $11.4 million in State Government grants to help restore and enhance native vegetation on their properties.
Two new Native Vegetation Council grants launched today will help protect and improve habitat for threatened species, boost biodiversity and restore ecosystems.
The Restoration Grants program 2024-2026 will support long-term projects lasting up to 10 years in the Northern and Yorke, SA Arid Lands and Eyre Peninsula regions.
These three regions have been subject to higher levels of native vegetation clearance in recent years to enable important energy and resources projects as well as road infrastructure to be built.
Eligible grant projects may include, but are not limited to:
- Revegetation of local native species
- Pest plant and animal control of over-abundant native species
- Fencing to exclude stock or other activities that impact biodiversity
- Protecting vegetation through a Heritage Agreement.
Applications close on 15 November 2024. A second round of funding is expected to be announced in early 2025 and will likely be open to landholders in other parts of the state.
A second program - the Incentive Grants - encourage landholders to establish new Heritage Agreements to protect native vegetation on their land. Heritage Agreements are conservation areas on private land that help contribute to restoring or protecting native vegetation and biodiversity.
These grants will help fund short-term projects (1-5 years) and are available to all SA landholders. Applications can be submitted any time up to 30 June 2026, however, landholders are encouraged to apply early.
Manager Native Vegetation with the Department for Environment and Water Gayle Grieger said only 33 per cent of native vegetation remains in South Australia’s agricultural zone, so restoring what is left and revegetating new areas is critical to halt and reverse this decline.
“The Native Vegetation Council plays an important role in funding projects that will improve habitat for wildlife, such as Malleefowl, Plains-wanderer and Southern Whiteface. These grants support healthy ecosystems by increasing the amount of woodlands across our state,” Ms Grieger said.
For more information visit the Native Vegetation Council website.
