The Morrison Government will invest an initial $3.5 million to work with local organisations in helping native wildlife and habitat recover from the impacts of recent flooding in NSW and Queensland.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the funding would support Natural Resource Managers, and Healthy Land and Water managers and Local Land services to assess impacts and plan recovery in New South Wales and Queensland.
“We are moving early to working with local organisations to assess the long-term impacts of erosion, pollution and the likely damage to rivers, estuaries and creek systems for wildlife on the East Coast,” Minister Ley said.
“We know from our $200 million bushfire response that getting the right assessments in place early and calling together a range of experts can produce some really positive outcomes.
“Many of the flood regions will have also endured those bushfires and there will be cumulative impacts for some species.
“The Bellinger River Snapping Turtle, which has been the subject of significant captive breeding is one such species and we will be assessing those populations and ways to get their conservation program back on track.
“While there will be a number of other species in that position, this funding will support the rapid assessment of damage, assist initial efforts to reduce runoff and support erosion control, the mapping of remaining suitable habitat, and it will inform our next steps.”
Funding will be made available to Natural Resource Management organisations in flood-affected regions, including Burnett Mary Regional Group and Healthy Land and Water in Queensland; and North Coast, Hunter, Greater Sydney and South East Local Land Services in New South Wales to undertake this initial work.
