A record number of New South Wales schools will share almost $30,000 of funding for the environmental education program.

The NSW Minerals Council and its member companies are behind the EnviroSmart 2007 project that will benefit 56 NSW schools.

The EnviroSmart program aims to encourage, promote and recognise environmental excellence by schools that develop and implement a School Environmental Management Plan based on the same model used by minesites around NSW.

The 2006 scheme showed that water conservation was firmly on the agenda for school environmental programs, which NSW Minerals Council chief executive Dr Nikki Williams said highlighted the concerns over current strains on water resources.

The 56 participating schools will receive a minimum of $500 towards the cost of implementing their plan in 2007. Schools from regions surrounding mining operations around NSW were eligible for grants under the scheme.

Mining operations involved in the scheme included: BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal, Centennial Coal, Gloucester Coal, and Xstrata Coal (Upper Hunter).