Environmental volunteers can share in up to $700,000 in funding to support vital conservation programs in the state’s national parks and reserves.

Grants of up to $15,000 are available for nature-based initiatives as part of the Friends of Parks and Nature Grants Program, with funding applications now open.

The grants help South Australia’s 154 Friends of Parks and Nature groups to invest in a range of activities and projects that can include restoration of biodiversity and threat

abatement works, threatened species recovery, habitat monitoring, and Aboriginal or European heritage conservation.

There were 72 projects funded in the 2024-25 round of funding, including works to:

• Protect critically endangered flora in Mount Billy Conservation Park, Hindmarsh Valley National Park and Stipiturus Conservation Park on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
• Restore important heritage sites in the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park, Innamincka Reserves, Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, Torrens Island and Troubridge Island Conservation Park.
• Provide first-aid training, emergency response equipment, safety and sun protection for various land based and marine conservation activities around the state.
• Restore bushfire affected areas of Scott Creek Conservation Park in the Adelaide Hills.
• Support citizen science in monitoring projects to collect data on the health of native fauna and the presence of feral animals in various regions.

Department for Environment and Water Park Operations and Community Partnerships Director Stuart Paul says the state’s Friends of Parks and Nature volunteers play an important role in protecting our national parks.

“These dedicated volunteers spend countless hours weeding, planting and improving our national parks and reserves so all South Australians can enjoy the benefits of nature,” he says.

“Their hard work, passion and commitment is inspiring, and these grants help ensure volunteers can continue to make a positive contribution to conservation and biodiversity in our parks.”

Grant projects must be completed within 18 months and member groups are invited to start their project planning and apply within the six-week application period.

Grant applications close 16 October at the SA Department for Environment and Water website.