Call to re-invest Green Army money

A key environment group says the Green Army delivered only minor benefits and other government programs which are doing a much better job should receive a funding boost.

Australian Conservation Foundation's James Trezise said studies of the program, which is expected to be abolished by the Turnbull government in the upcoming mid-year budget review, showed it had "tangential benefits for threatened species".

The first round of the program involved 150 projects promised by Tony Abbott during the 2013 election campaign.

The environment department itself had admitted to a Senate committee only 10 per cent of projects had been audited for their performance.

However Mr Trezise said it would be a travesty if the money saved from the program's abolition was not put back into environmental work.

"The Green Army program was originally funded off a massive cut to Landcare of around $480 million - there is now an opportunity for the Turnbull government to show leadership on protecting wildlife," Mr Trezise told AAP on Monday.

He said the indigenous rangers program, Landcare and the national reserve system were all proving effective.

The rangers program in particular had been applauded for giving indigenous people not merely 10 weeks to six months of work experience, but a lifelong career.