Rio Tinto has donated $1m to fund Conservation Volunteers Australia biodiversity protection programs in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Perth.
Rio Tinto has donated $1m to fund Conservation Volunteers Australia biodiversity protection programs in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Perth.
The money will fund visitor facility upgrades, weed identification and removal, feral animal control and beach clean-up programs on state government owned lands.
Rio's WA Future fund has provided $10 million to community organisations since it was established in 2001.
An announcement from Rio Tinto is pasted below
A $1 million environmental volunteering programme between Rio Tinto, Conservation Volunteers Australia, and the Department of Environment and Conservation was officially launched by the Western Australian Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Mark McGowan MLA in Broome today.
The Future Volunteers programme will result in volunteers, including international and interstate tourists, undertaking conservation projects in a range of parks, ranging from Purnululu National Park in the Kimberley, Karijini National Park in the Pilbara and Jandakot Regional Park in Perth.
It will also offer formal training to environmental groups in the areas of health and safety, first aid and volunteer management.
"This builds on an existing partnership with Rio Tinto and will provide more than 1000 days of work with volunteers building working trails, rehabilitating dunes, collecting seeds, planting trees and many more activities," said Neil Jens, Chairman, CVA.
In launching the event, the Minister for the Environment, Hon Mark McGowan MLA, said the program was great for WA as it provided opportunities for volunteers to visit some of our national parks while at the same time enabling them to get involved and help conserve these important natural icons.
Sam Walsh, Chair of the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund, said the partnership was particularly valuable in the north of the State where harsh weather, remote locations and increasing eco-tourism made it very difficult to protect national parks.
"This program provides Rio Tinto employees with a wonderful opportunity to volunteer, share their skills and increase the awareness of environmental conservation," said Mr Walsh.
"For me one of the most exciting aspects of Future Volunteers is that we will be working alongside the Department of Environment and Conservation on issues that go beyond our daily duty of care.
"Together with the CVA, we will be working on conservation issues of mutual concern, on projects that make use of our joint expertise and on ways of preserving and promoting everything that is best about this State."
The $1 million funding for Future Volunteers is being provided by the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund, which was established in 2001. The Fund has provided $10 million in support for community organisations since it was established.
CVA is the largest practical conservation group in Australia managing community involvement in almost 2000 projects nationally each year. It has operated in Western Australia since 1987, and in 2005, with the support of Rio Tinto, CVA established a Broome office that enabled more efficient management of the North West volunteer programs.
Partnership initiatives will be carried out a various locations across WA including:
Millstream Chichester National Park
Karijini National Park
Cape Dormett - Cambridge Gulf
East Kimberley/NT Border
Lake Gregory - Tanami Desert
Burrup Peninsula
Jandakot Regional Park
Serpentine Regional Park
