Encouraging community stewardship for conservation

Bibra Lake Wetlands. Image credit: The Wetlands Centre Cockburn.

The Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre in Bibra Lake is among 54 community- based groups to share in the 2024 round of funding under a State initiative to support projects which protect and restore the local environment. 

A Community Stewardship Grant of $266,300 will be put towards its Thriving Wetlands, Thriving Community project to restore part of the Bibra Lake Reserve’s wetland and dryland areas. The aim is to create a habitat to encourage turtles to breed and establish, and to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining viable wetland environments for the future. 

Torbay Catchment Group, located west of Albany, will use a $211,294 grant to bolster protection of threatened species including the western ringtail possum, black cockatoos and quenda through predator reduction efforts, installing habitat defences, population monitoring and community education. 

In the Kimberley, Rangelands NRM Co-ordinating Group will use a $326,074 grant for their Dampier Peninsula Fire Working Group, a collaboration of Traditional Custodians and land managers focused on improving fire management practices in a changing climate. 

The grants recognise the knowledge, volunteer efforts and strong partnerships within local communities to support the sustainable management of WA’s natural resources.  

A full list of grant recipients is available here.