Trust shells out $75,000 for Gumnut Awards to go bush

THE caravanning and camping industry's Gumnut Award scheme has received a $75,000 shot in the arm.

The handout from the NSW Government's Environmental Trust program, will be used to develop an online distance learning program involving caravan parks and manufactured home villages in regional and remote areas across the state.

It will encourage them to adopt sustainable practices, and will be an extension of the highly successful Gumnut Award program.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Carmel Tebbutt said: "It is encouraging to see the caravan and camping industry is adopting a greater level of responsibility to improve sustainability and reduce its impacts."

Launched in 2002, the Gumnut Award scheme is based on the Professor David Bellamy Conservation Awards in the UK.

The Australian version, developed by the Caravan and Camping Industry Association of NSW in partnership with the University of Western Sydney, aims to protect and reflect the uniqueness of the Australian environment and culture.

"This Gumnut Award Distant Learning Program will improve access to education and training for industry members in remote areas and will increase the commitment and sustainable practices of the industry as a whole," Ms Tebbutt said.

"The program will engage business, establish processes and require reporting on performance and competency levels with clear and achievable progressive steps that demonstrate they are adopting sustainable practices.

"It will build the capacity of the industry to respond to climate change, as well as delivering financial savings to members and the industry as a whole."

The grant is one of 185 totalling over $36 million provided by the Trust in 2008/9, and part of an expected $90 million it is investing in environmental projects and programs across the state.

"These innovative projects represent some of the amazing research, education and restoration projects funded through the Trust program," Ms Tebbutt said.

"Each year this important program highlights the innovative thinking taking place around the environment in NSW ... and this year has been no exception."

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