15 June 2000

Environment Centres acknowledged in Green budget

Green Party Co-Leader Rod Donald said the $300,000 initiative to fund environment centres as part of the Green Budget Package was acknowledgment of the important service they provide to the community.

The $300,000, from Vote Environment, will make grants of up to $50,000 per centre to assist them with day to day running costs such as administration and rent.

Mr Donald said the extra funding was a low-cost way to recognise the value of community environment centres and to give these centres some certainty, security and above all encouragement.

“Community environment centres are the public face of the environment and conservation movements in many communities and they play a very important role in providing information to the public, especially school students, and in co-ordinating local environmental initiatives,” said Mr Donald.

“From a personal perspective, I was the first paid director of the Christchurch Environment Centre in 1976 and I know first hand the struggle these centres fight just to stay alive. This funding will go a long way towards reducing this struggle and will free up more time and money for community environment projects.”

Mr Donald said community environment centres were a valuable resource for schools and often assisted the Department of Conservation, the Ministry of the Environment and local councils in distributing information.

“The Greens have supported an investment in environmental centres to build up community understanding and support for conserving nature and looking after the environment,” said Mr Donald.

Ends

Rod Donald: 04 470 6660, 025 507 183
Jonathan Hill (press secretary): 04 470 6719, 021 110 1133

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