The Coalition Government is delivering another key election commitment with legislation to establish the Green Army introduced to Parliament.
The Green Army Programme is a key part of the Government’s Cleaner Environment Plan under the Clean Land pillar.
The Government will shortly be undertaking a tender process for service providers who will engage the Green Army teams and supervisors, manage activities to ensure projects are completed safely and report regularly on progress.
Green Army is a voluntary programme that will encourage hands-on, practical, grassroots action to support local environment and heritage conservation projects across Australia.
It’s an opportunity for young people aged 17-24 to gain training and experience in environmental and heritage conservation fields and explore careers in conservation management.
The Phillip Island & Bass Coast Green Army project will have four main areas of focus:
· The re-establishment of penguin habitat at Summerland Peninsula on Phillip Island
· The Creation and preservation of koala and shearwater habitats on Phillip Island
· Remnant vegetation conservation across the Bass Hills
· Mangrove rehabilitation and foreshore revegetation at Grantville, Corinella and Coronet Bay
On the Summerland Peninsula, the Green Army will work to re-establish crucial penguin habitat, including weed control, revegetation, nesting box construction and vermin control.
The project will help restore an area that was wrongly subdivided for residential use. As well as enhancing landscape values and protecting important penguin habitat, the project will also help bolster Phillip Island’s tourist industry.
At Surf Beach, work will be undertaken to protect shearwater rookeries from the impact of visitors. Conservation of koala habitats across Phillip Island will also be prioritised.
In the Bass Hills, the Green Army will work to conserve and expand remnant indigenous vegetation with the aim of creating greater areas of habitat for native wildlife.
Along the Western Port foreshore at Grantville, Corinella and Coronet Bay, work will be undertaken to tackle coastal erosion, including revegetation and mangrove planting.
The Phillip Island & Bass Coast Green Army Project will be carried out in consultation and conjunction with the Bass Coast Landcare Network, Phillip Island Nature Park, Bass Coast Shire Council and local community groups.
The Green Army will make a real difference to the environment and local communities through projects such as restoring and protecting habitat, weeding, planting, cleaning up creeks and rivers and restoring cultural heritage places.
Participants will be paid an allowance and gain valuable skills in conservation management, teamwork and discipline.
Projects may be carried out across urban, regional and remote Australia on public land, Indigenous-held lands, or private land where there is a clear community and environmental and heritage benefit.
Further details on the Green Army are available online at www.environment.gov.au/topics/cleaner-environment/clean-land/green-army.
Media contact: Samantha Robin on 03 5979 3188 or 0427 787 166