Powerlink Community Environmental Program - Extension Announced | 15 April
Funding will be allocated to projects that demonstrate real environmental and community benefits and address local matters of importance particularly following the recent floods. Applications for the Third Round are now being called with the closing date for applications being Friday 15 April 2011.  Applications for Round Four will be called in mid 2012.
http://www.powerlink.com.au/asp/index.asp?sid=5056&page=CommunityEnvironment/goodwillprograms&cid=5373&gid=560. 

2nd Round of Disaster Relief Appeal funding | 15 April
This second round of disaster relief funding will specifically address owner occupied homes that have been destroyed by the Queensland floods and Tropical Cyclone Yasi. An income test will be applied to this round to determine the eligibility and amount of assistance received. 

For full details of this round of funding and to complete your application please call 1800 173 349 or visit the Department of Communities website: www.communities.qld.gov.au. Applications close on 15 April 2011.

Coles Junior Landcare School Garden Grant | 13 May
Visit http://www.juniorlandcare.com.au/grants-2/coles-grant.

 
Coles and Junior Landcare offer remedial grants for disaster affected areas
If your school has previously received a Coles Junior Landcare grant you may be eligible for a remedial grant of up to $1,000. Please send a short email explaining your circumstances with a photo of the damaged school garden, along with your school's details and date when original funding was received to grants@landcareaustralia.com.au.

Review of Caring for Our Country Program | 21 May
A review of the Australian Government's Caring for Our Country program is currently under way. To make a comment visit
http://www.nrm.gov.au/review/review-submission.html  
Or to make a 'paper' submission, email thereview@nrm.gov.au

Submissions are due May 21, 2011.

Junior Landcare Grants
Visit http://www.juniorlandcare.com.au to keep up to date with upcoming Junior Landcare grants.

Gambling Community Benefit Fund
This fund offers grants of up to $35,000 (and more in some circumstances) to projects which benefit the broader community. Applications close four times a year, with the next deadline being 31 May.

Further information is available online at http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/grants/gcbf/index.shtml

GrantsLINK Directory
The GrantsLINK directory has information about federal, state and local government funding programs that can help you:
develop solutions to local and national problems fund ideas and initiatives get assistance in times of hardship. Visit http://www.grantslink.gov.au

Condamine Alliance BioCondition Assessment training | 12 April and 10 May
Condamine Alliance will be hosting a training event in use of the BioCondition Assessment method.
The BioCondition assessment framework and methodology was developed by the DERM to enable the consistent assessment for the condition of terrestrial biodiversity in Queensland.

Where: Pittsworth Community & Technology Centre, cnr Hume & Short St, Pittsworth (Phone: 07 4619 8388)
Timing: 9am – 4pm
Cost: $300 or FREE for volunteers from not-for-profit groups from the Condamine catchment
 
Please complete and return the Registration Form below to Alexandra Kennedy by mail PO Box 238, Drayton North QLD 4350 or email alexandra.kennedy@condaminealliance.com.au or fax 07 4620 0100 for more information please call ph 07 4620 0119 or mobile 0439 673 083.

Brand new tools for wetland managers and visitors
The Queensland Wetlands Program has released new tools and updated features on its WetlandInfo website http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/index.html   The latest updates include new tools for hydro-climatic assessments, buffer planning guidelines and conceptual model case studies for individual wetlands.  WetlandMaps has also been given a major upgrade: new features include faster speed; easier to understand image base maps from Google Maps; individual wetland names; and better search options based on address, lot/plan, coordinate or keyword.

Grow your knowledge | Greening Australia Training Opportunities
There are several training opportunities now available through Greening Australia's training program.  Visit: http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/our-services/education-and-training for more info and to register.


Weed forum available | Mackay Whitsunday Region
Have you got a question about how to manage a particular pest animal or plant?  A new interactive forum is now available for the Mackay Whitsunday region. The forum is brought to you by the Reef Catchments Mackay Whitsunday, Mackay Regional Council and the Mackay Regional Pest Management Group. 
Simply visit the following link http://reefcatchments.com.au/Pests_Home and select "Forum". You will need to register into the forum by following the prompts. Then you can type in your question and receive technical advice from your local Pest Management Officer. Previous discussion and topics can also be viewed.

Free resource available | Saving Soil Publication
Saving Soil: A landholder's guide to preventing and repairing soil erosion is published by NSW Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority.
They have generously made this publication available at no cost to Queensland land managers.

For your copy please contact Abigail Jenkins at abigail.jenkins@industry.nsw.gov.au or download your copy at: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/resources/soils/erosion/saving-soil

Sugarcane Industry’s first education resources now available
Education resources on new science and technology on farms for improved water quality are now available on the CANEGROWERS website: www.canegrowers.com.au/kids 
Resources include; brochures, teachers resources and videos featuring NRL Cowboys player, Ty Williams.

Erosion control factsheets now available
Following the good seasons experienced across most of Queensland, erosion in grazing lands has been minimised by the excellent cover, however, there has still been a lot of erosion associated with tracks and fences. Information was collated from many sources and developed into information factsheets targeting the issues relevant to the whole of Queensland.

To help address this issue, three erosion control fact sheets are available on the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) website and cover the topics of erosion control on property roads, tracks and firebreaks: cross sections and locations and managing runoff, and erosion control on fences and firebreaks.

Visit: http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/services_resources/category.php?class_id=9

Healthy Waterways - Water by Design
To find courses for 2011, please visit http://waterbydesign.com.au/water-by-design-courses/

The Australian Institute of Community Practice and Governance | Training Schedule
The Australian Institute of Community Practice and Governance has developed a suite of affordable, practical training to help community sector staff, volunteers and supporters keep abreast of their responsibilities and learn how to lift their organisation from ordinary to extraordinary. Visit the Our Community website for a full schedule of workshops: http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/training/calendar.form

2011 Health Waterways Awards | 27 April
Entries for the 2011 Healthy Waterways Awards are now open and we’re encouraging everyone to submit an entry.
For relevant information and to apply, please visit: http://www.healthywaterways.org/events.aspx?eventsID=17
Some key dates to note –
Entries Close:                5pm Wednesday 27 April
Awards Gala Dinner:       Wednesday 22 June

National NAIDOC Awards | 29 April
Many Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders have made an enormous contribution to developing Australia’s future. The National NAIDOC Awards recognise achievements in music, art, culture, education, employment and politics. Nominations close 29 April and more information is available at http://tinyurl.com/wombat43 or by calling 1800 079 089.

Green and Healthy Schools Awards | Term 2
Keep Australia Beautiful Queensland encourages and assists Green & Healthy Schools to maintain and improve the environmental and personal wellbeing of their school’s community. Registration is free and open to all Queensland schools. As a Green & Healthy School you receive a Teachers Resource Kit, free e-newsletter subscription, networking opportunities and you could win some great prizes.
Award categories include:
·         the Queensland Health Fit and Active Award
·         Sita Resource Recovery Award
·         the Wriggley Company's Litter Prevention Award
·         the Greenest School Garden Award
·         the Low Carbon Diet Award
 
For more information, and to register online, go to www.kabq.org.au.  Registrations close Term 2, 2011. Check the website for up-to-date information.

2011 Qld Landcare Awards | 22 July
The 2011 Queensland Landcare Awards will celebrate the acheivements of our State's Landcare Heros.

You don’t need to be in a landcare group to enter the Landcare Awards. Landcare is a broad environmental movement that works in many areas of our community. The 10 categories of the Landcare Awards aim to capture the breadth of the landcare movement and are open to:

• Individuals
• Landcare, Coastcare and other Community Environmental Groups
• Schools and Universities
• Catchment Management Authorities and Regional Groups
• Natural Resource Management Regions
• Local Councils
• Primary Producers
• Indigenous Groups

To download the information brochure and entry form visit http://www.landcareonline.com.au/?page_id=4112. Nominations close 22 July 2011.

2011 Partnership Forums
Between March and May 2011, the NAB will be conducting a series of around 40 Partnership Forums in metropolitan and regional areas across Australia.The Forums will provide attendees the chance to learn more about NAB Schools First, the application process, collation of evidence and the awards criteria for 2011.
For more info visit http://schoolsfirst.edu.au/sf-partnership-forums/2011-partnership-forums.phps.