Local Landcarers Shine at Regional Landcare Awards
Ten Northern Rivers community groups and individuals have had their contribution to Landcare recognised at the 2011 Regional Landcare Awards, held in Grafton on Friday April 1.
Regional Landcare Facilitator, Jodie Gager, said that the Landcare Award categories highlight the diversity of the work undertaken by volunteers to protect and restore our natural resources and show a broad cross-section of the community participating in Landcare activities.
“The Awards acknowledge the achievements of the dedicated people who commit their own time to care for our environment and contribute to sustainable primary production,” Ms Gager said.
The 2011 Northern Rivers Landcare Awards recipients included:
- Geoff Robertson, Tenterfield - Individual Landcarer Award
- Greg and Sally Chappell, Shannonvale (east of Glen Innes) - Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practices Award and the Landcare Primary Producer Award
- Kylie Falconer, Glen Innes Natural Resources Advisory Committee (GLENRAC) - Local Landcare Facilitator/Coordinator Award
- South West Rocks Dune Care Group - Coastcare Award
- Orara Valley RiverCare Groups Management Committee - Community Group Award
- Kyogle High School and Westport High School - School Education Award (Dual winners)
- Armidale Urban RiverCare Group - Urban Landcare Award
- Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation - Indigenous Award
- Bethany Van Haren, Grafton - Young Landcare Leader Award
- Tweed and Bryon Shire Councils - Local Government Landcare Partnership Award
Ms Gager said that winners of the Northern Rivers Regional Landcare Awards who meet the NSW Landcare Awards criteria would be automatically nominated for the 2011 State Landcare Awards to be held at the Parkes Landcare Muster in September.
The 2011 Northern Rivers Landcare Awards were supported by the Landcare groups of the North Coast Regional Landcare Network and the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority.
Westport High School AWARD Winners
WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL, Westport Environment Team - WET
The continuing key project of WET is investigating the biodiversity and developing the educational value of the schools rainforest with the help of Landcare
WET has the ability to drive large scale school based projects such as their Rainforest Nature Trail and Rainforest Centre
WET is involved in wide ranging environment issues leading the whole student body and promoting key environmental initiatives such as Earth Hour, World Environment Day, NSSP, and CWG.
Involved in direct promotion and education of Environment issues to the public through the Rainforest Learning Centre and Nature Trail.
Involved in training WET members in Rainforest Biodiversity using Landcare resources.
Involving the school in a koala survey project.
WET has a President, Vice President and Secretary democratically elected at the beginning of each year.
These students provide the organisation for Tuesday meetings.
Volunteer groups like WET have some sports time off so they can organise complex tasks like ‘enviroinspiro’ as a team.
The WET team has set up a scope and sequence of environment dates for the year as a guide to their planning.
