Grant funds to boost environment and climate change projects

The Noosa Youth Climate Summit will return this year buoyed by a $7250 Noosa Council Climate Change Grant.

Dalia Mikhail, Managing Director of Noosa Environment Education Hub, which oversees the event, welcomed the funding - one of three Climate Change Grants awarded this round.

"Noosa’s youth are taking action against climate change. With thanks to grant funding the Noosa Youth Advocacy Group can now hold their 2023 Youth Climate Summit following the success of their 2021 peer-to-peer delivered event,” she said.

Council has also awarded seven Environment Project Grants and 10 Environment Organisation Alliance Grants, this round, worth a combined $211,751.

Wildcare’s Rachel Lyons welcomed a $6400 grant from Council to help support the organisation’s frontline animal rescue service.

“We’re grateful for the financial assistance to help our volunteers continue Wildcare’s essential wildlife services,” she said.

“The grant will help support the operations of our Noosa Koala Rescue Team and other aspects of our work, including caring for critically-injured wildlife.”

Other projects to receive funding this round include Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee’s Find a Frog February initiative and Waterwatch training, and a weed removal program, while Noosa Environment Education Hub’s environmental board game project and an Indigenous Walk on Country event received a cash boost.

Councillors approved an additional $93,551 at Thursday’s Ordinary Meeting in response to the high volume of applications and amount of funding requested.

Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie said the strong demand for these grants highlighted the breadth of quality projects volunteer environment groups were delivering for the community.

“Residents’ feedback in the recent Liveability Survey showed that caring for our natural assets must also remain a high priority for the council, so it’s fitting we’re able to use surplus Environment Levy funds to support these worthy projects.”

Cr Wilkie said Council was also providing an additional $254,000 during the 2022/23 financial year through the Multi-Year Environmental Collaborative Grants program.

“These grants are funding important initiatives such as the Keep it in Kin Kin sediment management program, the Eastern Beaches dune rehabilitation project and Plastic Free Noosa,” Cr Wilkie said.