A PRIZE POOL of close to $3,000 is up for grabs among artists who are currently raising  community awareness of the importance of native grasslands to preserving Australia’s natural heritage.

The ACT Region Catchment Group’s art competition is part of the Heritage Festival and is the result of an ongoing collaboration between the Artists Society of Canberra and its sponsors, ACTEW Water, the Molonglo Catchment Group, the Ginninderra Catchment Group, the Southern ACT Catchment group, the Myer Foundation Kosciusko to Cost Grasslands Project and Friends of Grasslands.

The idea is to raise awareness of the work undertaken by volunteers to preserve native grasslands and thus ensure the survival of Australian wildlife.

Before European colonisation, ASOC says, a carpet of native grasses and colourful flowering herbs covered much of south-eastern Australia, but as a result of land clearing for European settlement and agriculture, these grasslands have been reduced to around 0.001 per cent of their pre settlement levels in NSW. The ACT has fared a little better, at 5 per cent.

The exhibition features over 60 paintings by members of ASOC.

The ACT Region Catchment Groups Art Prizes, ActewAGL House, 40 Bunda Street Civic, 10am -5pm, until April 18.