Junior Landcare grants up for grabs for Victoria’s early learners

Children and young people in Victoria are being empowered to care for and protect the environment, with the latest round of the Junior Landcare and Biodiversity grants recently announced by Victoria’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio.

Ms D’Ambrosio said that applications are now open for the latest round of grants, with a total of $410,000 available for grassroots programs. Victorian schools, kindergartens, childcare centres, Scouts, Guides and youth groups can apply for grants of up to $5,000 for projects that boost biodiversity through the development, improvement or restoration of habitat for Victoria’s native plants and animals.

Successful applicants from the early childhood education and care (ECEC) space in 2018 included:

• Anglesea Kinder given $3,421 for “Anglesea Kinder digs in: regeneration and biodiversity protection of Bush Kinder sites – past, present and future”
• Ballan Childcare given $3,830 for “Ballan Community Childcare Bush food Garden”
• Cire Family and Children’s Services given $4,345 at Yarra Junction and $3,806 at Mount Evelyn for “Planting the Early Seeds for Biocultural Awareness and Action”
• Clarendon Children’s Centre given $2,200 for “Recreating a natural habitat for insects and animals”
• Felltimber Children’s Centre given $4,950 to establish a Bush Kinder program.

Grants are also available for programs that engage or educate young people to value and actively care for Victoria’s natural environment. The grants will encourage young people to connect with nature and learn more about the environment through outdoor, hands-on activities, while creating better places for plants and animals to flourish.

Now in its second year, the pilot program is part of an $18 million investment over four years to increase support for Landcare and implement the recommendations of the Victorian Landcare Program Review.

The grants will be administered by Landcare Australia as part of their Junior Landcare program, in partnership with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

For more information about how to apply for a grant, visit the Landcare Australia page.