The Manyana Matters Environmental Association is one of two winners of the biennial John Kaye Memorial Award.
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The Shoalhaven-based environmental group, along with Dunghutti Elder and activist Leetona Dungay, were recently announced as the winners of this prestigious award.
It [the award] recognises their extraordinary contributions to social and environmental justice.
Manyana Matters is about protecting and saving the land and its wildlife for future generations.
Following the devastating fires of 2019/20, Manyana Matters led a grassroots campaign to prevent the clearing of remaining unburnt bushland that surrounded their village.
Manyana Matters, on learning that this precious, mature, unburnt forest was set to be bulldozed to make way for a housing estate, was formed and the group organised a series of innovative protest actions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that raised statewide, national and international awareness.
Manyana Matters, since the destruction of the bushfires, has been fighting to protect the remaining precious bushland, which is critical habitat for a long list of vulnerable and threatened flora and fauna including the greater glider, grey-headed flying fox and swift parrot.
The group was described "as a powerful example of a grassroots movement that has had far-reaching impacts and been an inspiration for many other communities fighting for their environment".
Amanda Findley, who is currently in campaign mode to get back her position as Mayor of Shoalhaven City back in the upcoming election, presented the award to Manyana Matters.
"I'm really proud of my community and Manyana Matters who pulled together under extreme circumstances to campaign for the forest and the creatures that rely on it," she said.
"With no leadership from the State Government, in taking stock of the damage done to our wildlife during the black summer fires the community took matters into their own hands.
"Grieving for the land and animals connected thousands of people who witnessed the devastation and felt they could do so little - channeling their energy into the Manyana Matters gave us all conservation purpose in a time of deep distress.
"John Kaye would have been so proud of the strength, purpose and resilience of Manyana Matters."
Dr John Kaye was a Greens MP in the NSW Parliament and a long-time activist and community campaigner with immense energy, intellect and compassion.
Dr Kaye was deeply committed to creating a more just and sustainable world and was instrumental in building community campaigns and delivering policy outcomes.
The John Kaye Memorial Award recognises an outstanding individual or collective contribution towards social and environmental justice.
The award is made every two years and recognises the work of former Greens MP John Kaye.
Meanwhile, Leetona Dungay is the mother of David Dungay Jr, a proud Dhungutti man, who was killed in Sydney's Long Bay Gaol in 2015 after guards overpowered him in a dispute about eating biscuits.
Leetona launched the Justice for David Dungay petition, signed by 120,000 people, which has helped galvanise community action around Black Deaths in Custody.
Leetona's involvement informed the Black Lives Matter Movement in Australia and helped create the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into First Nations Deaths in Custody.