The Federal Government’s Green Army has been mobilised, and one of its first missions will see young unemployed people helping to restore the Tuggerah Lakes in New South Wales.

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Federal Member for Dobell, Karen McNamara, have visited the Green Army teams involved in projects in the Wyong Shire, which is being funded by a $3.3 million grant for a number of similar efforts.

McNamara said the West Tuggerah Lakes Landcare Support project would help to rehabilitate sections of the foreshore along the western side of the Tuggerah Lakes estuary.

“The Green Army team will extend the work undertaken by local Landcare groups. They will weed and plant to control erosion; remove litter; maintain a minor stormwater treatment device; and manage salt marsh,” Ms McNamara said.

“These activities will help improve the biodiversity of the foreshore, protect threatened species and their habitat, and improve community access within reserves where weeds currently inhibit access.”

Tuggerah Lakes is one of five iconic waterways across Australia to share in more than $9 million of Coastal River Recovery funding.

In addition to this funding, Environment Minister Greg Hunt says other National Landcare Programmes and Green Army projects may also deliver improvement to the environmental health of Australian rivers and lakes.

Over the next four years, 1,500 Green Army projects will roll out across the country, getting unemployed young Australians to work on a range of activities in support of their local environmental.

The army has been a central Coalition Government promise, and it looks like it will be delivered too.

$525 million has been put aside for Green Army projects over the coming four years.