THE Broads Authority's Sustainable Development Fund has reached a £1m milestone. That is the sum that the SDF Panel has granted to 126 innovative projects with a total value of just over £5m.

THE Broads Authority's Sustainable Development Fund has reached a £1m milestone.

That is the sum that the SDF Panel has granted to 126 innovative projects with a total value of just over £5m.

Over the last six years the Government has given the Broads and English National Park Authorities £200,000 annually to promote sustainable development.

About a third of the money has been used to promote sustainable tourism, including green business schemes, boating, biking and canoeing, another third has helped fund educational programmes that encourage sustainable thinking in schools, and much of the remainder has supported projects that benefit disadvantaged people.

The latest projects to receive support from the fund embrace eco-boating, sustainable waste management, wind power and visits to the Broads for disadvantaged young people.

In October a total of £46,000 was awarded to the Eco-Boat project to fund the further development of an environmentally friendly hire cruiser for the Broads.

Norfolk County Council has received £16,250 to fund a pilot project that will offer 1,000 Broads tourism businesses advice on sustainable waste management and energy conservation. The pilot will include a detailed review of 50 businesses and the development of a Broads Waste Recycling Plan covering hire boats and overnight sites.

A total of £5,000 has been given to an initiative to introduce 450 children from deprived areas of Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to the Broads. Ten visits will be made by local children and five by London children, who will experience the magic of the Broads landscape, its management and wildlife.

Over £5,600 has been awarded to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust to part fund two wind-powered pumps which will be used to manage water levels and improve habitat at the recently expanded and soon to be restored Upton Broad and Marshes Nature Reserve.

The fund recently provided £10,000 for a solar water heating system and a heat retaining 'blanket' for Reedham Primary School's new £41,500 swimming pool.

A leaflet “Bright ideas wanted” explains who and what qualifies for Sustainable Development Fund cash. It is available from the Broads Authority office in Norwich and from most public libraries and information centres.