Large-scale citizen scientists grants to protect SA’s natural environment
The state government’s Citizen Science Fund has awarded $1.31 million in grants to help fund 10 large-scale projects that seek to improve our understanding of the environment through scientific research.
The $2 million fund supports community-led projects that enhance our knowledge of flora and fauna, which allows governments and landowners to make informed decisions to protect threatened species and habitat.
Projects funded in this round include those protecting breeding sites for rare shorebirds, monitoring freshwater turtles on the Limestone Coast and studying the restoration of native habitats.
The latest funding includes a $136,000 grant to BirdLife Australia to help train and recruit volunteers to protect nesting sites for rare Hooded Plover shorebirds.
Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation has received a $60,000 grant to study turtle populations in wetland and swampy areas of the Limestone Coast.
The project will identify suitable habitat sites for turtles, as well as examine threats from foxes.
Trees For Life has also received $275,000 to help landowners develop new methods to monitor ecosystem health and habitat restoration across the state.
The fund is administered by the Department for Environment and Water to gather data on plants, animals, fungi, ecosystems, soil, water and air.
Organisation | Project | Amount | |
Northern and Yorke Landscape Board | Waterbug Bioblitzes and Waterwatch SA: Monitor ecosystem health by collecting macroinvertebrate and habitat data from multiple sites | $150,954 | |
Australian Citizen Science Association Inc | Training program to address and bridge the existing skill gaps among leaders of citizen science projects in South Australia | $147,456 | |
Nature Glenelg Trust | Limestone Coast community bird monitoring program | $80,000 | |
Austland Management Pty Ltd | Improving understanding of how arid woodland responds to natural disturbances | $120,955 | |
Flinders University | Investigate which introduced marine species and cryptogenic species are living in Eyre Peninsula waters, from Port Augusta to Coffin Bay. | $49,990 | |
Fungimap Inc | Study on whether fungi groups are reliable indicators of ecosystem health across the Mount Lofty Ranges | $214,888 | |
Nature Conservation Society of SA | Training citizen scientists on bird identification, biology and ecology | $77,158 | |
Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation | Gather data on turtle populations in wetland and swampy areas of the Limestone Coast | $60,000 | |
BirdLife Australia | Training citizen scientists in beach-nesting bird recovery, including Hooded Plovers | $136,587 | |
Trees For Life | Supporting landowners to monitor and evaluate the condition of native habitats on land they manage | $275,438 | |
Total | $1,313,426 | ||
