The Australian Geographic Society launches conservation funding program
The Australian Geographic Society has launched a funding support program for conservation initiatives.
The announcement:
The Australian Geographic Society has launched the inaugural ‘Awards for Nature’ program which provides tiered funding support to vital conservation projects across Australia. A total of $100,000 was awarded to three outstanding projects dedicated to combatting biodiversity loss through community-based initiatives and mitigating climate change.
The Awards ceremony held at the Art Gallery of NSW featured a special screening of celebrated Actress and Filmmaker, Rachel Ward’s inspiring documentary ‘Rachel’s Farm’, and brought together environmental champions, conservationists, and supporters of Australian Geographic to celebrate three innovative projects making a real difference to Australia’s natural future.
“It’s an honour to be at the launch of this very important Awards supporting conservation projects which will make a difference to our future. After seeing my own farm threatened by the fury of the bushfires, I knew I had to use my platform to spread the word about regenerative farming as a real solution to the climate crisis. I’m pleased to be among so many inspiring people to share my film and be part of the conversation on supporting our environment,” said Ms. Ward.
Chrissie Goldrick, Australian Geographic Society chair, said: “These grants represent a major investment in Australia’s natural future and a new chapter in Australian Geographic’s legacy of supporting conservation. By shining a spotlight on these innovative projects, we aim to inspire and empower the next generation of environmental champions and make a real difference.”
The funds that drive this program are raised through subscriptions to Australian Geographic magazine, which automatically makes subscribers members of the Australian Geographic Society – the not-for-profit charity arm of Australian Geographic.
The Grant recipients, selected through a comprehensive process by the Australian Geographic Society Advisory Board and Review Panel, are as follows:
- The $50,000 Gold Tier Grant was awarded to The Forever Reef Project, led by Dr Dean Miller of the Great Barrier Reef Legacy. This project aims to collect and preserve samples of all 415 known coral species in a living coral biobank, or ark, safeguarding the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef against the threats of extinction.
- The $30,000 Silver Tier Grant was presented to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI), spearheaded by Heidi Tait of the Tangaroa Blue Foundation. Their work centres on utilising data from the Australian Marine Debris Initiative – the Southern Hemisphere’s largest database of marine debris, where individuals and organisations enter data on debris collected during clean-ups and work on solutions to identify the origins of the litter. Tangaroa Blue takes this data to produce research that can initiate clean-ups and source reduction programs, inform public campaigns and ultimately, influence policy.
- The $20,000 Bronze Tier Grant was awarded to PlantingSeeds’ flagship program, the B & B Highway initiative (Bed & Breakfast for Birds, Bees and Biodiversity), led by Dr Judy Friedlander of PlantingSeeds Projects. This project aims to create regenerative pollinator corridors in urban areas while educating students, individuals and businesses about the importance of biodiversity and pollinators – which are in serious decline.
The Australian Geographic Society is committed to supporting these projects beyond the initial grants. From next year, the awards will expand to include two applicants in each funding category, and in the future, it hopes to offer continued funding to projects showing substantial growth and impact.
Source: ÉTOILE PR
Keep up to date with the latest in media and marketing
