BUSHCARE AWARDS RECOGNISE CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS

Blue Mountains City Council hosted the much loved annual Bushcare picnic recently to celebrate the efforts of 450 Bushcare and Landcare volunteers to protect our unique local environment.

Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill said, “The Blue Mountains has a long and proud history of community involvement in the Bushcare movement.

I congratulate the sustained efforts of our Bushcare and Landcare volunteers, many of whom have been contributing to the health of our world heritage environment for over 20 years.”

The first group of volunteers commenced work in 1989. There are now more than 53 volunteer Bushcare groups working in the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains Bushcare network blazed the trail to what is now an extensive and highly regarded Community Conservation Program.

“The Bushcare Program is a wonderful example of Council working in partnership with the community. The volunteers enable Council to extend its reach to improve biodiversity conservation in our City within a World Heritage Area National Park”, said the Mayor

“The Bushcare Network and broader Community Conservation Program can claim a history of notable successes in achieving significant environmental outcomes, including considerable success in securing grant funding to achieve these outcomes.”

Just in the last financial year, volunteers have contributed an impressive 6,704 hours through Bushcare and Landcare groups, and an additional 870 hours worked at annual event days such as National Tree Day, Swampcare and Remote Bushcare, where volunteers walk in to an isolated location and do some intensive, monthly weeding.

The Bushcare Legend Award goes to those people who have provided leadership in the Bushcare program, as their contributions go beyond any particular group or site and extend to the broader Blue Mountains Bushcare community.  It recognises sustained efforts over many years.

If you want to get involved you can find a Bushcare group near you by going to www.bushcarebluemountains.org.au/groups .

Award recipients

5 YEAR AWARDS

  • Leura Public School
  • RSPCA Landcare
  • Upper Kedumba Pine St
  • Marmion Swamp (new group).

 

10 YEAR AWARDS

  • Beefarm Road Landcare
  • Darks Common
  • Linksview Landcare

15 YEAR AWARDS

  • Jackson Park –Alan Dean and Chris Watson
  • Mt Wilson

20 YEAR AWARDS

  • Deanei Bushcare

25 YEAR AWARDS

  • Friends of Katoomba Falls Creek Valley

Junior Award- Rachel Florey – Wentworth Falls Lake, Franki Creek

Masters Award – Jean Cowley & Lynne Carson

Hard Yakka Award – Boz Brooks, Roger Walker

Landcare Award – Barbara Baird

Bushcare Legend Award – Jenny Hill