Deputy Premier and Member for Gippsland South Peter Ryan today announced that community groups across Gippsland South would receive $1,338,412 as part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s $20 million Communities for Nature grants program.

 Local projects to be funded in Gippsland South include:

“The funding received through the Communities for Nature grants program will enable the four local recipient organisations to carry out their valuable work protecting and enhancing the local environment,” Mr Ryan said.

“All four projects will provide practical environmental outcomes and will be of great benefit to the region.”

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith highlighted the important role Victorian communities’ play in protecting our environment and delivering on-the-ground environmental works.

“Communities for Nature delivers on the Coalition Government’s election commitment to provide practical assistance to local communities so that they can improve, protect and conserve our environment,” Mr Smith said.

Mr Smith said a total of 117 projects would be supported in this funding round.

“I congratulate community groups and land managers across Victoria for participating in this funding round and for their ongoing hard work in protecting our environment and delivering on-the-ground environmental works,” Mr Smith said.

“We received more than 300 applications for this first round of grants and the high quality of those applications is yet another demonstration of the significant environmental works that are being carried out by community groups across Victoria.”

For more information about the program, please visit www.dse.vic.gov.au/communitiesfornature.

Media contact:  Ben Bulmer 0437 108 870