Truss congratulates Cooloola Coast Green Corps Participants
29th October, 2008
A group of 20 people aged 17 — 20 from the Cooloola Coast will today be amongst the last young people to graduate from a Green Corps project, Federal Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss said.Mr Truss said that the Cooloola Coastcare Revegetation and Enhancement Green Corps had undertaken conservation and revegetation work, including fencing, land management and weed eradication.
“Unfortunately the Rudd Labor Government has radically changed this very popular program and eliminated many of its most successful elements.”
Mr Truss said since the Liberal and National Government introduced the program in 1997, more than 18,000 young Australians had benefited from taking part in the six-month Green Corps program.
Green Corps participants planted more than 14 million trees, collected more than 9,500 kilograms of native seeds, constructed or maintained 5,000 kilometres of walking tracks, hosted more than 1,000 community field days and have erected more than 8,000 kilometres of fencing.
“The experience and knowledge that the participants gained through Green Corps will stay with them for life,” Mr Truss said.
“I congratulate the participants for their valuable contribution to restoring the local natural environment.”
Green Corps taught young people about the importance of looking after native vegetation while providing on the ground training which improves career and employment prospects.
“The Green Corps program was an important Coalition Government environmental and skill building initiative,” Mr Truss said.
“However, the program has been radically changed and funding for environmental projects has been slashed by 40% following the Rudd Labor Government’s first budget.”
The Cooloola Coastcare Revegetation and Enhancement Green Corps project will conclude on 31 October 2008.
