September 6:

This September, host of Gardening Australia and Landcare champion Costa Georgiadis is joining forces with Junior Landcare to ask Aussie kids ‘What’s in your backyard?’

Junior Landcare understands that children can’t be involved in caring for the environment if they don’t love it – and one way to do this is for children to get their hands and feet in it. Throughout National Biodiversity Month and the school holidays, children are encouraged to grab a camera, or use a mobile phone camera, to capture photos of the flora and fauna in their backyard, and then share them with Costa and Junior Landcare, explaining why their backyard is important to them.

“We’re calling on all Aussie kids to get outside and explore their local environment,” says Costa. “Your backyard might be a garden. If you live in an apartment, your garden could be plants on your balcony. You may live near a park or bushland area, or a river or wetland. You may live on the coast close to the sea, or on a farm – these could all be your backyard!”

Children (via their parents, carers and educators) can submit photos to the Junior Landcare campaign website, under one of four themes including biodiversity, food production, First Nations perspectives and waste management, to be in the running to win one of nine cameras (RRP $250) and other great prizes. One school or youth group will also win a visit from Costa to check out their environmental projects.

Joining Costa as a campaign supporter and host of Channel 10’s The Living Room, Barry Du Bois, says that he wants his ten-year-old twins, Bennett and Arabella, to experience the same sense of wonder around nature that he had when he was young.

“As a young boy, I loved exploring the creeks, beaches, animals and secret hiding spots in my own backyard, and I want that for Bennett and Arabella. There’s something magical about nature, and the ‘What’s in your Backyard’ campaign will help kids to find that magic in their own backyards.”

‘What’s in your backyard?’ is a key activity of Junior Landcare’s Learning Centre. The online platform features fun, easy-to-use learning activities developed by education professionals to help children be aware, empowered and active in caring for their local environment.

The resources have all been designed to help children build knowledge and deeper connections to biodiversity, where their food comes from, recycling and waste management, and First Nations perspectives.

This year, together with First Nations educator, Wiradjuri man Adam Shipp, 10 new First Nations learning activities have been developed by Landcare Australia to teach children and educators about how to have a connection to Country.

“Young people play a vital role in caring for our environment, which needs all the help it can get! Junior Landcare gives children – no matter where they are across the country – the opportunity to understand nature, connect with it and take action to protect the world around them. With Junior Landcare, we are educating the next generation of Landcarers – and this starts with parents, carers and educators encouraging simple moments outdoors,” says Costa.

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PHOTOS HERE

AUGUST 24: Ten exceptional landcarers and landcare groups from across Australia have been named the winners of the prestigious 2022 National Landcare Awards.

Presented by landcare advocate and ABC gardening guru Costa Georgiadis in front of an audience of over 600 during the National Landcare Awards Gala Dinner at Sydney’s International Convention Centre tonight, award winners ranged from the Northern Territory’s Roper River Landcare Group’s work to combat local Neem infestations to Tasmania’s young landcare leader Yanti Winoto-Lewin for launching the highly successful Friends of Franklin Forest group.

This year’s landcare champions were selected from 61 finalists, with another six nominees up for the 2022 General Jeffrey Soil Health Award and the prestigious 2022 Bob Hawke Landcare Award.

Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish applauded the work of all the winners, saying that their range of innovative and impactful projects across multiple landscapes highlighted the diversity of landcare across Australia.

“From urban cities to the outback and from the coast to the country, these award winners showcase the wide range of impressive landcare work being done across Australia. I’m thrilled to be able to join them to celebrate their success and inspire more people to get involved in landcare,” Dr Norrish said.

“These have been a tough few years for landcarers, and the winners deserve special commendation for their extraordinary leadership and innovation in the face of adversity. Their achievements embody the strength, resilience and community spirit of all landcarers across Australia and make me proud to be a part of this incredible movement.”

Minister for Agriculture Senator Murray Watt commended the award winners on their outstanding achievements, saying the Australian Government was proud of such inspiring landcare leaders.

“These awards recognise the tireless work of landcarers across the country, many of whom have dedicated their lives to conserving the environment, improving land management practices and giving back to their communities,” Minister Watt said.
“Whether they be groups, partnerships or individuals, each one of these winners has overcome the challenges thrown their way to deliver fantastic landcare outcomes. I am in awe of their unwavering commitment to landcare, and I am honoured to congratulate them on their outstanding success.”

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Please find the list of winners below:

2022 Bob Hawke Landcare Award: Bruce Maynard (NSW)
Bruce Maynard is an agricultural innovator and inventor of the No Kill Cropping System, a unique, revolutionary technique that relies on the retention of full grassland functions resulting in the consumption of almost no external inputs. He also initiated the Constructive Farming Cooperative and is the developer of the Stress Free Stockmanship competencies.

2022 General Jeffrey Soil Health Award: Dr Oliver Knox (NSW)
Dr Oliver Knox is a passionate soil heath advocate, researcher and Associate Professor of Soil Systems Biology at the School of Environmental and Rural Science at the University of New England. He has been instrumental in driving the Soil Your Undies program which seeks to improve Australians’ understanding of the importance of soil health.

Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award: Walter Mayr (QLD)
Wal Mayr has been a dedicated Landcarer for over 40 years, is the coordinator of Austinville Landcare and the President of Watergum, the umbrella Group for Landcare groups in the Gold Coast Region. Since the 1970’s Wal and his wife have restored their remote 25ha degraded property back to its original rainforest habitat, protecting the land in perpetuity as Blue Fig Creek Nature Refuge.

Australian Government Landcare Farming Award: Sylvia Leighton and Peter McKenzie (WA)
Together Silvia Leighton and Peter McKenzie are dedicated to using regenerative farming methods to make their 1214ha property, Wilyun Pools Farm, more sustainable. Through adopting the three pillars of Landcare and Regenerative Agriculture – healthy environment, healthy society, and healthy economy, they have contributed to a network of like-minded landholders.

Australian Government Partnerships for Landcare Award: Australian Association of Bush Regenerators (NSW)
Following the 2019-20 bushfires the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators developed numerous partnerships to support volunteers in restoration works, including their First Aid for Burned Bushland (FABB) initiative that developed resources to provide best practice guidance for assisting in the recovery of bushland and matched experienced bush regenerators to sites in need.

KPMG Indigenous Land Management Award: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation Narrap Team (VIC)
The Narrap Unit has had a significant impact on Natural Resource Management (NRM) within Wurundjeri country by bringing indigenous land management practices back into use (including the reintroduction of cultural burns to the landscape). The current team of 20 full-time employees- all with a Cert III in Conservation Land Management, is expected to grow to 40 in the next year.

ACM Landcare Community Group Award: Roper River Landcare Group (NT)
Roper River Landcare Group (RRLG) consists primarily of landowners, land managers, and residents committed to monitoring, maintaining and improving the Roper River catchment and its natural values in the Mataranka Region. Recently they have been addressing Neem infestations that are directly threatening the region’s biodiversity, cattle industry and tourism industry.

Steadfast Young Landcare Leadership Award: Yanti Winoto-Lewin (TAS)
25 year-old ecologist Yanti Winoto-Lewin started Friends of Franklin Forest (FoFF) in June 2020 in an effort to stop Franklin Forest being logged. Thanks to the group’s work, the area has been removed from Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s harvesting schedule, with FoFF now running monthly ecology focused guided walks and undertaking environmental protection activities in the forest.

Woolworths Junior Landcare Team Award: Ivanhoe Central School (NSW)
Ivanhoe Central School’s innovative ‘Outback Adventure Farm’ project encompasses sustainable living, healthy food choices, diet and nutrition. Students are encouraged to work together in all aspects of the farm from basic planting and picking at kindergarten level to more advanced mathematical equations, solutions, nutrition and building associated with running a farm enterprise.

Coastcare Award: Friends of Bass Strait Islands (TAS)
Wildcare group Friends of Bass Strait Islands, have been managing feral plant species including infestations of boxthorn and mirror bush on the off-shore islands in the Furneaux Islands and strategic coastal areas of Flinders Island. By undertaking meticulous weed control on over 250 hectares, they are contributing to securing penguin safety in the area.

Winner of the Steadfast Young Landcare Leadership Award named at the National Landcare Awards

25 August 2022 | Twenty-five-year-old ecologist Yanti Winoto-Lewin from Hobart, Tasmania, was last night announced as the winner of the 2022 Steadfast Young Landcare Leadership Award.

Presented at the National Landcare Awards held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney, Yanti was one of seven finalists in the running for the award, which acknowledges an individual or youth group aged 15 to 35 that has displayed leadership and excellence in landcare practices.

Recognised for her outstanding efforts to protect Tasmania’s unique ecosystems, connect communities to natural places and foster respect for the environment, Yanti established the group Friends of Franklin Forest (FoFF) in 2020 while in her final year of a plant science/geography degree at the University of Tasmania. The group’s main activities are stewarding an area of forest, introducing people to the area and teaching about its ecology.  

“Stewarding the land involves maintaining a clear and safe track for visitors to use, so the impact of visitors is contained to a small area. It also involves working to remove a large patch of gorse at an old mill site,” explained Yanti.

Thanks to FoFF’s petitioning and awareness raising, the area – which provides core habitat for threatened species such as the masked owl and swift parrot, but is in land zoned for timber production – has been removed from Forestry Tasmania’s three year felling rotation, with the group now working to ensure it is removed altogether.

“We are delighted to acknowledge the inspirational actions of young people like Yanti, who are finding ways to encourage wider community participation in managing the environment and natural resources in their local area,” said Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish.

Yanti values highlighting the intricacies of ecosystems to people so they appreciate the environment around them. “Learning to identify just a few plants turns a forest or grassland from a green or yellow blur to an intricate tapestry. Learning how certain species may have been integral to people’s livelihoods adds another layer of wonder. Then encouraging people to interact (respectfully) with a place by maintaining a track, brewing a sassafras tea or weeding allows people to really care for it.”

According to Robert Kelly, Managing Director & CEO of Steadfast Group: “The Landcare Awards provide a wonderful platform to showcase youth who are excelling in their efforts to shape a better world. We congratulate the winner, Yanti Winoto-Lewin, on her initiative and commitment to supporting people to become more interested in their local environment and how they can take meaningful action when it comes to protecting it.”

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Friends of Bass Strait Islands win 2022 Coastcare Award

25 AUGUST: Tasmanian landcare legends Friends of Bass Strait Islands (FOBSI) have been named the winners of the 2022 Coastcare Award at the National Landcare Awards Gala Dinner in Sydney last night.

FOBSI have contributed significantly to coastal repair and protection across the Flinders Island coastline and the Furneaux outer isles by cleaning up a substantial volume of marine debris in the area, along with undertaking extensive boxthorn and mirror bush removal to restore critical seabird habitat.

“It is an honour to receive the 2022 Coastcare Award in recognition of our work to repair our coastline and off-shore islands to protect and rehabilitate the habitat of breeding seabirds and fauna who call it home,” said Karen Ziegler, President of Friends of Bass Strait Islands.

“Our boxthorn removal project has been going on for two decades. Previously some of these areas were dominated by boxthorn to the point it was very unpleasant to move around, but you wouldn’t know it now because the regeneration of native plants has just been marvellous.”

“Our last trip to restore Roydon Island was significant because of the considerable increase in biodiversity. All the primary control of boxthorn has been completed and native vegetation is dominant across the 40-hectare island. The penguins nest in places we had never seen them before, cape barren geese and pacific gulls nest on the island in much greater numbers! It is really heart-warming and showed all of us how much of an impact our work has had in the area.”

“The work is achievable with persistence but now must be maintained by regular follow-up to remove weeds that will regenerate from soil stored seed and new weed introductions.”

Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish congratulated FOBSI on their win and stressed the importance of their work in protecting Tasmania’s critical coastal ecosystems in light of growing environmental pressures.

“The impacts of climate change make community stewardship of our marine and coastal environments increasingly important, and the work Friends of Bass Strait Islands is doing is second to none,” said Dr Norrish.

“The dedicated volunteers from Friends of Bass Strait Islands are an inspiration to coastcarers across the country. Not only do they demonstrate outstanding environmental stewardship, but they are devoted to supporting and upskilling their local community to help expand the impacts of their fantastic work.

“Congratulations to Friends of Bass Strait Islands on your incredible coastcare achievements, and I look forward to hearing more about your ongoing success.”

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Roper River Landcare Group honoured with the 2022 ACM Landcare Community Group Award

25 August 2022 | One of eight finalists, the Roper River Landcare Group (RRLG) was named the winner of the 2022 Australian Community Media (ACM) Landcare Community Group Award, presented at the prestigious National Landcare Awards held in Sydney last night.

A pastoral landcare group working to improve land and natural resource management across the Roper River Catchment in the Northern Territory, the group is made up primarily of land owners, land managers, and residents committed to monitoring, maintaining and improving the Roper River catchment and its natural values.

RRLG has been especially committed to controlling the neem tree, a highly invasive tree forming monocultures along the Roper River as well as the Katherine and Victoria Rivers. Despite a critical shortage of labour and resources, RRLG Secretary Doris Baylis said the group is currently tackling neem trees around the Mataranka township with the aim of declaring it ‘Neem Free 2023’. 

“This is a long-term project that aims to provide awareness and ongoing education to the general population. Word of mouth is a powerful tool and it is often a simple conversation that keeps the momentum going.  There has been a huge ripple effect with people from Katherine, Darwin and Kununurra becoming aware of their surroundings as well as becoming more educated as to what they can do to make a difference,” she added.

“Anyone is capable of identifying a problem, however it takes special people to get out there, get their hands dirty and be part of the solution. We are very lucky to have special people!”

Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish said RRLG’s neem management, including their NEEM Blitz events driven by their NEEM Team – is an excellent example of community group action to protect, enhance or restore the local environment.

“Landcare’s greatest asset has always been its people – and the members of the Roper River Landcare Group exemplify what can be achieved when a group of determined people come together for the good of the environment.”

According to ACM chief marketing officer Paul Tyrrell: “It is an honour to sponsor this award that puts a spotlight on those actively making a difference for their communities. We congratulate the Roper River Landcare Group and thank them for their efforts at a time when landcare has never been more important to restore and protect the deteriorating health of the environment.”

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