National conference emphasises vibrant community
By Tessa Jakszewicz, CEO Landcare Australia
The recent National Landcare Conference and Awards were a great celebration of a vibrant and passionate community. The vibe at the event was electric, with over 600 delegates gathered in Melbourne after traveling from near and far to attend the three-day knowledge sharing sessions.
It was great to see so many young and enthusiastic Landcarers present, particularly those phenomenal young nominees in the Manpower Young Landcare Leader Award category. For the first time in National Landcare Awards history, there was a tie for this award, between two inspirational ladies from opposite sides of the country – Naomi Edwards from Queensland’s Gold Coast, and Ella Maesepp from Katanning in Western Australia.
Landcare Australia chief executive, Tessa Jakszewicz.
This was such an exhilarating result because it shows just how vibrant the Landcare movement is for the younger generation across the country. These two women have been doing fantastic work, motivating people in their respective communities, and it was great to see their work being recognised.
The Yates Junior Landcare Team award also proved inspirational, with seven innovative groups nominated. Representatives from the winning group, Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre from New South Wales, were confident speakers and proved that we can allay fears about the future of Landcare. It’s alive and well!
I’d like to thank the Victorian Government, Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme, NRM Regions Australia, the National Landcare Network, the working groups, awards judges, and our sponsors for working with us to put on this conference and awards. It’s a massive amount of work to put on an event of this size and we wouldn’t have had such great success without the collaborative time and effort of many.
