Environmental heroes honoured at 2011 Western Australian Landcare Awards

Thirteen of the state’s most impressive environmental achievements have been recognised at the 2011 Western Australian Landcare Awards, with Dongara’s Craig Forsyth one of the standouts of the day.

Craig was the winner of awards in two categories, the Rural Press Primary Producer Award, and the Australian Government Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practises Award. He was recognised for his work on his property to trial the concept of pasture cropping and no-till cropping along and promoting this to other farmers with field days and workshops.

The biennial awards ceremony, held yesterday at the Perth Convention Centre, in conjunction with the State Natural Resource Management Conference, celebrated individual and community volunteer projects that have made significant contributions to the environment in local communities around Western Australia.

His Excellency Mr Malcolm McCusker, AO QC, Patron of Landcare Australia in WA, announced the winners and congratulated them for their outstanding efforts which have created positive outcomes for environmental sustainability.

“All of the nominees and winners should be incredibly proud of the impact they have made in protecting the natural resources in their local communities,” he said.

Governor McCusker added that “volunteers play a vital role in restoring and maintaining our environment at a local level, and the Landcare Awards is a terrific opportunity to acknowledge their efforts and celebrate their achievements.”

Heather Campbell, CEO of Landcare Australia, also praised the winners for their exceptional work.

“The high calibre of nominees and impressive achievements of the winners demonstrates the dedication and enthusiasm of the Landcare community, and the essential role it plays in the management of Australia’s natural resources.”

“The winners in each category represent the diverse work that the landcare movement is involved in with activities ranging from sustainable farming practices to rehabilitation of coastal sites,” she said.

All the winners of the National categories will go through as nominees for their respective categories at the 2012 National Landcare Awards to be held in Sydney next year. Winners of the 2011 Western Australian Landcare Awards are:

Australian Government Coastcare Award:Green Head Coastcare, Dandaragan

Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award:Heidi Hardisty, Swanbourne

Toshiba Community Group Award:Ellen Brockman Integrated Catchment Group, Muchea

Rural Press Primary Producer Award:Craig Forsyth, Dongara

Australian Government Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practices Award:Craig Forsyth, Dongara

Local Government Landcare Partnerships Award:Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council, Belmont

Australian Government Facilitator-Coordinator Award:David Broadhurst, Albany

Be Natural Young Landcare Leader Award:Tim Harris, Katanning

Urban Landcare Award:Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group, Armadale

Westpac Education Award:North Dandalup Primary School, North Dandalup

Leighton Holdings Indigenous Award:Nyaparu Rose, South Hedland

Australian Government Natural Resource Management Region Award:Northern Agricultural Catchments Council, Geraldton

Department of Water River RATS Award (State only category):Talbot Brook Land Management Association, York

About Landcare

The Landcare movement is made up of approximately 4,000 Landcare and 2,000 Coastcare volunteer groups that work on environmental projects in their local communities. The groups that fall under the Landcare umbrella are varied in nature and don’t necessarily include Landcare in their names, including Productive farming groups, ‘Friends of’, Bushcare, Coastcare, Rivercare, and Dunecare. Landcare also include farmers embracing sustainable farm management and any community group that partakes in volunteer environmental activities.

Click here to find out how you can become a Landcare volunteer

Click here for full details on all 2011 State and Territory Landcare Award finalists