ACT landcarers are celebrating this month after two of 11 National Landcare Awards for 2021 went to Canberra locals – Dhani Gilbert and the Red Hill Bush Regenerators.
Landcare ACT CEO Karissa Preuss said it was a remarkable achievement and wonderful moment for the thousands of landcarers in the ACT region.
“The Red Hill Bush Regenerators won the Australian Community Media Landcare Community Group Award for their work restoring the native bushland ecology of the Red Hill Nature Reserve,” Ms Preuss said.
“Red Hill Bush Regenerators have dramatically improved one of the remaining remnants of endangered Box Gum grassy woodland in Australia, right here in central Canberra.”
Ms Preuss said Dhani Gilbert, who won the Austcover Young Landcare Leadership Award, is a stand-out young Wiradjuri woman who lives on Ngunnawal country.
“Dhani Gilbert has grown up involved in Caring for Country practices and is now an ANU and Charles Sturt University student. She joined the team at the Woodlands and Wetlands Trust as a casual Community Education Outreach Officer at Mulligans Flat in 2018.
“It’s fantastic to see Dhani Gilbert and the Red Hill Regenerators being recognised and celebrated at a national level for their passion and excellence in landcare,” Ms Preuss said.
Ross Kingsland, president of Red Hill Regenerators, said it was an honour to receive a national award.
“You don’t often get national recognition for work amongst such incredible peers around the country,” Mr Kingsland said.
“It gives the group a bit of a boost, the work we are doing becomes daunting because there is a lot to do but the award made us stop and reflect on what we’ve actually achieved.
“Looking ahead, we are continuing our work; we have a plan of what we’re trying to achieve and we’ll continue to work towards that. This year the weeds have been incredible, so they are our key focus at the moment,” he said.
The winners were announced in Canberra on 5 August.
Nominations for the 2021 ACT Landcare Awards close on Monday 16 August. Winners of the seven national award categories will go forward as nominees for the 2022 National Landcare Awards to be held in Sydney. Nominations can be made via landcareaustralia.org.au/landcare-awards-2021/
Landcare ACT with foundation members, represent more than 60 grassroots volunteer organisations that contribute more than $2 million in in kind environmental work every year.
For more information about the 2021 National Landcare Award winners, visit nationallandcareconference.org.au/national-landcare-award-winners-2021
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