Volunteers throughout the Shoalhaven are preparing for the 2018 NSW Sustaining Landcare Week.
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Running over 16 days from Friday, August 17 until Sunday, September 2, Sustaining Landcare Week aims to promote community awareness of the vital environmental restoration work undertaken by volunteers across NSW.
“It is an opportunity for Landcare volunteers and members of the public to come together to share their experiences and knowledge,” said Shoalhaven Landcare chairperson Greg Thompson.
“Community awareness of the work undertaken by Landcare, Bushcare and Riverwatch groups is critical to maintaining ongoing support for these organisations.”
During the Sustaining Landcare week, several groups will be showcasing their environmental restoration work.
Read more: Innovative Landcare expo connects students
And there will be numerous local activities, starting this Saturday (August 19) with a mass tree planting and barbecue at Bangalee Reserve from 9am you can take part in.
“It is often assumed that Landcare volunteers spend most of their time planting trees,” said Bangalee Bushcare volunteer coordinator Len White.
“We actually do a lot more than that. Tree planting generally only happens for a few days in winter.
“Most of the year is spent clearing weeds, maintaining planting areas and undertaking pest and erosion control work.”
Shoalhaven Landcare has 18 member groups with a combined total of close to 1000 volunteers. Last year volunteers contributed several thousand hours of work on various sites across the Shoalhaven.
The total monetary value of volunteers’ contributions is estimated to be well in excess of $100,000 for 2017-18 alone.
Last year volunteers contributed several thousand hours of work on various sites across the Shoalhaven.The total monetary value of volunteers’ contributions is estimated to be well in excess of $100,000 for 2017-18 alone.
“Although the monetary value of the work done by Landcare volunteers is clearly significant, it is the knowledge that we are achieving real outcomes for our communities that inspires us to participate,” Mr Thompson said.
“Many public reserves, foreshores, waterways and bushland areas would be either inaccessible or substantially degraded if it was not for the dedication of volunteers.”
Shoalhaven Landcare’s participation in Sustaining Landcare Week follows on from the highly successful Illawarra and Shoalhaven Landcare Muster held in Berry in April 2018.
At the Muster, volunteers from across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions came together to share ideas and experiences and to gain a greater understanding of some of the challenges facing volunteer environmental groups in the immediate future.
“The Illawarra and Shoalhaven Landcare Muster was the first time many local environmental restoration volunteers had been able to come together,” said Shoalhaven Landcare Coordinator Marien Stark.
“The presentations showcased a diverse range of experiences in land management and bush regeneration while the group discussions allowed individuals to collectively resolve unique challenges and identify new opportunities,” she said.
“Sustaining Landcare Week will give us another opportunity to share our knowledge with the community,” Mr White said.
“By demonstrating our work onsite, we will be able to show the real results of Landcare’s activities.”
Numerous special events will be held across the Shoalhaven during and beyond Sustaining Landcare Week:
Saturday, August 18 9am. Mass tree planting and barbecue at Bangalee Reserve. For more details, visit www.bangaleebushcare.org/news
Monday, August 20 from 9am. Celebration and inspection of ecological restoration with Dr Kevin Mills. Gibsons Creek, Upper Kangaroo Valley. Contact kangaroo.valley.landcare@gmail.com
Thursday, August 23 from 12.30. Continuing privet control in Kangaroo Valley township. Meet at the tennis courts. Contact chair@shoalhavenlandcare.org.au
Sunday, August 26 from 10am. Tree planting to restore the Berry Habitat Corridor. Campbells Run, 5.5km east of Berry. Contact berrylandcare@gmail.com.
Wednesday, September 5. Constructing Nest Boxes with Nowra Christian School. For students only and seeking parental supervision. Contact coordinator@shoalhavenlandcare.org.au.
Saturday, September 8 9am–1pm. Tree planting at Tapitallee with Bangalee Landcare. Contact coordinator@shoalhavenlandcare.org.au
October 8–12. Milton Rainforest Restoration with Milton Rural Landcare Group. Come for the day, stay a couple of nights or the whole week! Contact Wollongong@cva.org.au
Robert Crawford
Robert Crawford is a senior journalist at the South Coast Register, for Australian Community Media . Everyone's got a story, what's yours? Email robert.crawford@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Robert Crawford is a senior journalist at the South Coast Register, for Australian Community Media . Everyone's got a story, what's yours? Email robert.crawford@austcommunitymedia.com.au
