Local landcare champions announced for 2009

22 June 2009, 2:38pm

Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare Champions 2009 receive their awards from HNCMA Chair John Klem (centre)

Winners of the 2009 Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare Awards were announced this week and ten groups and individuals were recognised for their outstanding environmental contributions over the past year.

John Klem, Chair of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Authority (HNCMA), said the awards recognised the "hard work and dedication" of thousands of Landcarers working across the catchment.

At a Landcare Forum held at Mt Annan attended by over 100 people committed to improving the environment across the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment the winners were announced:

Individual Landcarer Award - Robin Woods, Convenor of the Hawkesbury Rainforest Network
Landcare Community Group - Roslyn Landcare Group, near Goulburn
Young Landcarer - Erin Rowe, Greencorp team leader and member of the Hawkesbury Rainforest Network
Urban Landcare - Western Sydney Conservation Alliance
Local Government Landcare Community Partnership - Blue Mountains City Council
Landcare Primary Producer - Broken Bay Oysters
Landcare Education Award - Ingleside Scouts Camp, Northern Beaches
Landcare Indigenous Group - Kooris on the Move, Wollondilly
Coastcare/Estuary Community Award - Friends of Bungan Beach, Northern Beaches

Also highly commended were Ron and Robin Davies from Werombi who are key organisers at the Wollondilly Community Nursery and enthusiastic participants in the Barragal and Redbank landcare groups in Picton and Camden.

"Robin Woods was recognised as the individual catchment landcarer of the year for her tireless work to conserve the remaining pockets of Western Sydney Dry Rainforest, particularly in the Kurrajong area of the Hawkesbury," said John Klem.

"While the Indigenous landcare group, Kooris on the Move, has been carrying out an innovative project called ‘Caring for Stonequarry Country' to remove weeds around Stonequarry Creek and creating a pathway, meeting place and bush tucker garden.

"Each year landcar groups and the 2600-plus landcare volunteers in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment contribute over $3 million to environmental improvements in the catchment and the Hawkesbury-Nepean CMA works closely with over 120 Landcare groups.

"The entire community of the Hawkesbury-Nepean should be proud of the achievements of our landcare volunteers," said Mr Klem.

For more information on landcare and the landcare awards go to www.hn.cma.nsw.gov.au/getinvolved or contact your local HNCMA office and speak to your Community Support Officer - Windsor (4587 0050); Goulburn (4828 6747); Moss Vale (4861 9010); Lithgow (6350 3110).

Media contact: Peter O'Malley 0414 611 792