Canberra’s waterways, parks and reserves are to be enhanced and better cared for through a new funding arrangement which will see $4.5 million allocated to improve their health.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the new arrangement would move improve the health of the Territory’s waterways, tackle weeds and invasive plant species and appoint permanent Ngunnawal Rangers to incorporate traditional knowledge into local land management practices.
Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman said the La Niña weather system presented new management challenges for parks and reserves, and made it easier for invasive species to thrive after years of extended dry conditions.
“The ACT Government is already actively controlling this unwanted weed growth,” Mr Gentleman said.
“Now we are funding additional invasive species management for our parks and reserves, including a major effort to manage incursions of weeds such as Coolatai Grass,” he said.
“Six Ngunnawal rangers will also be permanently brought on to care for country, tackling weeds, repairing tracks and trails, and educating the community about conservation of nature and culture.”
Mr Gentleman said the appointment of six permanent Ngunnawal Rangers built on the success of the six casual rangers hired as part of Territory’s COVID-19 economic recovery program.
Minister for Water, Shane Rattenbury said the funding would also help to improve the health of lakes, creeks and rivers by building wetlands and installing pollutant traps to clean and filter water as it flowed through the city and into Canberra’s lakes.
