Environment

By Lia Bichel
PEARCEDALE’S Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation has been crowned with the Protection of the Environment Award last week.
The eco-accredited wildlife sanctuary was honoured at the Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Cities Awards on 29 May.
“It was gratifying to receive the award as an acknowledgement of our work with endangered species, our education programs, and the efforts we have made with the revegetation and implementation of sustainable practice in management of the Sanctuary,” director Michael Johnson said.
“It was also an honour for an organisation operating without government support to be given the award.”
The Protection of the Environment Award recognises outstanding achievement in the protection of the natural environment with particular focus on the preservation of native fauna and flora.
“The judges commended the sanctuary’s aim to display the fauna that was found in the Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve prior to european settlement,” Mr Johnson said.
“(The judges) were particularly impressed with our evening walks, where visitors get close to many unusual and endangered native animals, and learn about them in an entertaining way.”
The sanctuary opened in 2001 and is home to more than 200 animals, including endangered species.