By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
THE second round of funding for the Dandenong Ranges Environmental and Bushfire Fuel Reduction Community Grants and funding for research into wandering trad controls were announced last week.
Federal Member for La Trobe Jason Wood and Environment Minister Greg Hunt visited Belgrave Lake Park on Wednesday 27 January to announce the funding.
“This round of grants is funded through the National Landcare Programme as part of a three-year, three million dollar commitment the Australian Government made to the Dandenong Ranges,” Mr Hunt said.
Community groups are encouraged to apply for the grant funding for small, medium and large projects that work towards improving and maintaining the natural environment of the Hills.
Minister Hunt also announced an extra $200,000 in funding for the CSIRO to develop and test biological controls to fight the noxious weed, wandering trad.
A beetle from New Zealand and a pathogen to cause disease in the weed are the newest weapons being developed and tested in the war against wandering trad.
“This is an important step prior to release into test areas to ensure that Australian native and commercially important plants will not be affected by the leaf beetle and leaf-smut agents,” Mr Hunt said.
The weed from South America can damage native plants as it smothers ground-level plants with its thick mat-like growth and can prevent the regeneration of taller trees.
Mr Wood said the research had great potential to reinforce on-ground weed management actions already underway in the Dandenong Ranges.
“The community is already putting in a massive effort to reduce the impact of wandering trad on the incredible biodiversity of the Dandenongs,” Mr Wood said.
