THE Moore Catchment Council (MCC) was announced the winner of the Fairfax Landcare Community Group award at the 2017 WA Landcare Awards presented in Perth last Wednesday night.
The community-led not for profit organisation was set up in 1995 to maintain and improve the health of the Moore River environment by fostering natural resource management and encouraging maximum sustainable use of resources.
Working at grass roots level to maintain and repair the Moore River’s natural environment, MCC encourages sustainable farming and land management practices and builds community capacity in conserving the river catchment against current and impending threats.
Achievements include the successful completion of 60 projects worth $5.7 million over the past 22 years, with 13 more projects in progress.
MCC prides itself on effective and productive stakeholder engagement with local government, government departments, industry, community members and groups, landholders, and the Aboriginal community.
Some of MCC’s key priorities are creating Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo forage and breeding habitat, planting multi-beneficial shrub systems on farms and sharing Aboriginal knowledge and providing Working on Country opportunities with the local Yued community.
With limited resources and a drive to be efficient, creative and innovative, the work ute has been creatively converted to carry more than 2000 seedlings for delivery – twice the number it could previously carry and so has halved delivery trips.
Dowerin nursery owner Rob Boase received the Individual Landcarer Award for his tireless work protecting unique and rare flora and vegetation across the Wheatbelt and for his contribution to revegetation projects by cultivating many plant species through his nursery.
All of the winners will represent WA in their respective award categories at the 2018 National Landcare Awards to be held next year.
The State and territory Landcare Awards are co-ordinated in WA by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and supported by Landcare Australia with funding from the federal government’s national Landcare program.
Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan said all nominees and winners should be incredibly proud of the benefits they have brought by protecting the natural resources in their communities.
“Volunteers play a vital role in restoring and maintaining our environment at a local level and these Landcare awards are a terrific opportunity to acknowledge their efforts and celebrate their achievements,” Ms MacTiernan said.
“Congratulations to all of the winners for their outstanding efforts, which have created a better environment for us all today and for our future generations.”
The 2017 WA winners are:
Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award: Rob Boase;
Australian Government Partner- ships for Landcare Award: Swan Alcoa Landcare program;
Australian Government Excellence in Sustainable Farm Practices Award: Stonemeal Farm;
Sure Gro Coastcare Award: Woodside Coastal Guardians program;
Rio Tinto Indigenous Land Management Award: Spinifex Land Management;
Fairfax Landcare Community Group Award: Moore Catchment Council.
