Mayor Ryan Palmer said successful projects range from restoring bushfire-ravaged reserve and planting koala-friendly trees, to creating native community gardens and school incursions.

“Our region has a unique and beautiful environment that deserves to be treasured and preserved,” Mayor Palmer said.

“We’re proud to support community groups and schools through the Environmental Projects Fund to promote sustainability, improve biodiversity, protect local ecosystems and educate our community.

“After such a high standard of applications, we have awarded funding to eight recipients for a range of environmentally-friendly programs and activities.

“Whether it’s teaching children about sustainability, planting important native species or managing pest animals within koala habitat, each represents significant benefit to both the local environment and the community.”

Plastic Free Port Stephens will receive $5000 to run an incursion project within local schools promoting innovative ways to reduce the use of single-use plastics.

Shoal Bay Landcare group has been granted $3780 to establish a native community garden along the foreshore and carry out dune restoration.

$2000 will also go to Lemon Tree Passage Parks, Reserves and Landcare Group to restore parts of John Parade Reserve affected by fire last October.

Other recipients include Seaham Preschool ($1033.85), Soldiers Point Landcare Group ($2500), Tilligerry Landcare Group ($2000), Corlette Reserves and Landcare group ($500) and Nelson Bay West Landcare Group and EcoPollinators ($3000).

The Environmental Projects Fund 2021-22 recipients are:

Seaham Preschool	To purchase resources to support our curriculum teaching sustainability, environmental responsibility and recycling. Through hands on play and active involvement children learn skills and abilities for themselves to take care of the environment.	$1033.85
Soldiers Point Landcare Group	To purchase local endemic koala trees to plant in areas of Shoal Bay to Little Beach.	$2500
Tilligerry Landcare Group	Develop a fox control program in the Tilligerry Koala Forest.	$2000
Lemon Tree Passage Parks, Reserves and Landcare Group	This project will restore fragments of bush in John Parade Reserve affected by fire in October 2021.	$2000
Shoal Bay Landcare Group	To upgrade parts of the eastern Foreshore of Shoal Bay beach to a native community garden and help with dune restoration.	$3780
Corlette Reserves & Landcare Group	A grant to enable our group to purchase local endemic vegetation to plant at our Corlette work sites.	$500
Plastic Free Port Stephens	To implement their Navigating Plastics and Healthy Ecosystems Incursion project within local schools.	$5000
Nelson Bay West Landcare and EcoPollinators	This project will strengthen the treasured natural beauty and capacity of the Bridle Path as a sustainable environment linking the town centre of Nelson Bay to Dutchmans Beach.	$3000