The Wet Tropics region has been very successful in the recent round of Community Action Grant under the Australian Government's Caring for our Country initiative, announced on 7 January.

Congratulations to the local community groups who successfully applied:  Johnstone Region Landcare Group, Herbert River Catchment Group, the Tolga Bat Rescue and Research, Kuranda Envirocare, the Russell Landcare and Catchment Group, Trinity Inlet Catchment Management Assoc., the Whyanbeel Action Group, Treeforce, C4 and the Lucinda Progress Association.

"We welcome this community-based funding. It is very necessary to support the excellent work undertaken by our local landcare, catchment and community-based environment groups", said Terrain's CEO Dr Allan Dale.

"Local success in this round reiterates the importance of Catchment Coordinators in the Wet Tropics. These coordinators embody the partnership arrangements between Terrain and the region's many community-based catchment groups. Through these groups, they support a wide range of individuals and community and industry organisations by undertaking project development and management, community training and engagement," said Allan.

Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke said, "It was pleasing to see a strong field of applications from rural, urban and Indigenous community groups, all keen to take part in protecting the environment and adopting sustainable land management at a local level."

Babinda Creek, a major tributary of the Russell River has disjointed riparian vegetation and an emerging agricultural and environmental weeds threat from invasive and declared species. Weed control and riparian vegetation reinstatement have been identified as priority catchment repair actions by the Russell Landcare & Catchment Group. http://www.terrain.org.au/our-region/our-region/catchments.html.

The Trinity Inlet Catchment Management Association were successful with two projects one specifically Cairns Urban Landcare and the second, Coastal Landcare. The Urban Landcare project involves remediation of a freshwater section of Blackfellows Creek and Isabella State Primary School will be engaged in the implementation and ongoing maintenance of the project. Identified as a top 10 hot spot priority, the saltwater section of this creek runs into a sensitive sea grass feeding area for dugongs. The Coastal Landcare project involves restoration of a tributary of Moon Creek which flows behind James Cook University and enter the Cattana Wetlands. Involving the Cairns Regional Council, JCU students and Coastal Landcare this project has a wide community base. http://www.cul.org.au/htm/home.html.

The Whyanbeel Action Group's project will involve riparian planting, increasing community engagement, restoring biodiversity, improving water quality and providing one of the final links in the Whyanbeel Creek bank stabilisation project. It will also provide a continuous riparian corridor of native vegetation of approx 1.5 km.

Treeforce will expand its previous revegetation on Rice's Gully at Redlynch, a suburb of Cairns. Revegetation work will also be carried out with four local Reef Guardian schools and youth service groups. http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/content/naturalResources/treeforce.html.

C4 will address environmental issues within the Mission Beach area, working closely with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council, community, traditional owners and local school children the project's aim is to revegetate and rehabilitate coastal foredunes increasing species diversity and habitat for the endangered cassowary and quoll. http://www.cassowaryconservation.asn.au/

The Lucinda Wetland is a natural Melaleuca swamp situated behind the primary sand dune at Lucinda. Development has altered the natural tidal flow and created a stagnant waterhole. Use as a dump has further degraded the site. The Lucinda Progress Association's project involves cleaning up the rubbish and controlling the invasive weeds as a priority for restoration and community engagement.