Braidwood district Landcarers were among the winners of Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority's (SRCMA) inaugural Champions of the Catchment Awards announced last Wednesday evening at a dinner held at Old Tilba Hall as part of SRCMA's 2007 Partnerships Conference.
The winners and runners-up were selected from 40 nominations with 10 landcaring categories covering outstanding individuals, local government, primary producers, community groups, education, indigenous and coastcare initiatives.
SRCMA Chairperson, Pam Green said the awards recognised the outstanding contributions of local individuals and groups who are working towards a sustainable future by improving the management of natural resources of the Southern Rivers region.
The Individual Landcare Award Winner was taken out by Merv Cornish, who helped establish Windellama Landcare in 1997. He has spent most of his working life dealing with dryland salinity issues. Since retirement, Merv has spent countless hours educating local landowners about soil issues, revegetation and salinity.
Windellama Landcare has undertaken 32 successful projects involving more than 8,150 man hours. These projects would not have been as successful, or perhaps even undertaken, without the support, advice and guidance from Merv Cornish.
The Individual Landcare Award Runner-up was awarded to Geoffrey and Sally White, from "Mundango", a 2,400 hectare sheep and cattle property near Braidwood. In the past 20 years, Geoffrey and Sally have planted over 250 hectares of windbreaks, tree lanes, rocky knobs and sandy hilltops. They are founding members of the Braidwood Rural Landcare group and continually inspire the local community through their improvements to their property and to projects undertaken in the district.
The Rivercare Award was won by Don Collett and Cathy Harrison of Upper Deua Catchment Landcare Group.
Upper Deua Catchment Landcare Group was formed in 1996 and since this time it has been hands-on in restoring rivers and waterways in the Upper Deua catchment. The Group has developed comprehensive and strategic management plans and have undertaken works that have restored over 10 kilometres of Araluen Creek. At one site alone, stream bank works addressed an erosion problem of 3,000 cubic metres of sediment flow in the waterway. The Group has also been active in weed removal, revegetation projects and education.
"Local individuals and communities are addressing environmental problems that take into account social, economic and environmental aspects," Mrs Green said.
"The standard of nominations is a powerful endorsement of the commitment of local people to environmental restoration, conservation and innovative natural resource management. The importance of community involvement was a strong theme among the awards entries."
"So often this vital work goes unsung. The Awards are a way in which SRCMA can celebrate the natural resource management achievements of our community," Mrs Green said.
All winners will now be automatically nominated for the 2007-08 State Landcare Awards to be held at Tamworth in late October.
Further Champions of the Catchment 2007 Awards went to:
* Champion of the Catchment Award: Terry Barratt, Shoalhaven.
* Landcare Indigenous Community Award: Winner, Warrigal Employment, Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation & Korewal Eloura Jerrungarugh Tribal Elders Aboriginal Corporation, Illawarra; and Runner-up, Eurobodalla Aboriginal Heritage Steering Committee, Eurobodalla.
* Coastcare Community Award: Winner, Christina Potts, Eurobodalla: Runner-up, Broulee Mossy Point Dunecare, Eurobodalla.
* Nature Conservation Award: Winner, Lake Wollumboolla Bushcare Group, Shoalhaven; Runner-up, Australian Seabird Rescue South Coast, Illawarra/Shoalhaven.
* Young Landcarer Award (12 - 25 years old): Winner, Stephanie Kerr, Illawarra.
* Landcare Community Group Award: Joint Winners, Berry Landcare, Shoalhaven, and Milton Rural Landcare, Shoalhaven, and Runner-up Windellema Landcare, Upper Shoalhaven.
* Landcare Primary Producer Award: Winner, Kevin Cooper, Upper Shoalhaven, Runner-up, Clyde River Oyster Farmers Cluster Group, Eurobodalla.
* Local Government Landcare Community Partnerships Award, Winner, Shoalhaven Bushcare, Shoalhaven; Runner-up, Shellharbour Council, Illawarra.
* Landcare Education Award: Winner, Berry Public School, Shoalhaven, Runner Up, Bournda Environmental Education Centre, Far South Coast.
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