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Winners of the Northern Territory Landcare Awards 2003

The winners of the 2003 Northern Territory Landcare awards were announced by Minister Chris Burns at an awards ceremony at Parliament House Darwin on Friday 22 August, 2003.

The National Landcare awards are held biannually in each State and Territory, and are one of the highlights of the Australian environmental calendar. The awards are an opportunity to celebrate the contributions made by individuals, businesses, and groups to landcare through sound land management practices and productivity of our natural resources

Landcare is a community approach to problem solving and regional planning. With 90 groups and organisations involved in landcare across the Territory, land management groups provide a vital forum for social interaction, especially in remote areas.

Winners in the 2003 Northern Territory Landcare Award Categories are:

The winners automatically enter the National Landcare Awards to be held in August 2004 at Parliament House in Canberra. The National Landcare Awards are considered one of the premier environmental awards in this country and recognise the important contribution made by thousands of volunteers in over 4,500 Landcare groups across Australia.

For more information contact:

  • Jim Forwood - Chairman, Landcare Council of the NT on 08 8981 1508
  • Libby Benson - Executive Officer, Landcare Council of the NT on 08 8999 4464

Bushfires Council Fire Management Award (Northern Territory Category)

Ross Peatling - Alexandria Station

Historically the Mitchell grasslands of the Barkly Tablelands have been considered too valuable in terms of cattle feed to burn. Hence, past management practices have been to control wildfires and eliminate fire from this ecosystem.

The Manager of Alexandria Station, Ross Peatling believes that the Mitchell grasslands have evolved with fire and the removal of it from this ecosystem can only be detrimental to the health of the country.

Ross instigated a joint project between North Australian Pastoral Company and the Department of Business Industries and Resource Development to investigate the effects of seasonal fire on the pasture dynamics, encroaching woody vegetation and flora diversity. The project aimed to identify the benefits of fire as a pasture management tool in terms of pasture quality and quantity.

The entire Barkly region has benefited from Ross's inspiration and foresight into fire management. Ross remains pro-active in wildfire control and continues to lead the way in pioneering the use of fire as a pasture management tool, and actively works towards the maintenance of pasture health for cattle production while conserving biodiversity.

National Landcare Program Individual Landcarer Award

Dr Fiona Douglas

Dr Fiona Douglas is a founding member of the urban Darwin Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group, which was established in mid-1995. The landcare group initially formed to try and resolve differences of opinion on land use in the Ludmilla Creek catchment and has evolved to become a major contributor in improving catchment health.

Many of the groups' successes can be traced directly back to Fiona Douglas and her exceptional commitment to the group and Landcare in the community.

Fiona has acted as spokesperson for the group, project officer, development officer and public relations officer. Fiona actively participates in public forums, prepares submissions on behalf of the group and has commissioned a management plan for the Ludmilla Creek catchment. Fiona is an inspirational advocate of the Landcare ethic and has greatly advanced community involvement in natural resource management in Darwin. Fiona is most definitely a Landcare Legend.

Murray Darling Basin Commission Rivercare Award

Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association

The Playford River Catchment is located on the Barkly Tablelands, Northern Territory. It runs through 5 large cattle stations and covers an area in excess of 666, 000 hectares. Due to the catchment suffering negative impacts over many years, the Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association developed an integrated project "Improved Management, Conservation and Rehabilitation of the Playford River Catchment" to address the threat being posed by Parkinsonia.

The project has promoted community awareness and participation in the planning, management and implementation of on-ground wood weed control programs and watercourse protection. The encouraging results have prompted many land managers in the region to become more involved in regional natural resource management issues.

Bushcare Nature Conservation Award

Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group

Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group is a small community group working around urban Ludmilla Creek. Despite its city location, Ludmilla Creek and its surroundings contain a diversity of remnant vegetation including two woodlands, mangrove communities, wetlands and salt flats. Ludmilla Creek Landcare Group has made a considerable difference to the management of remnant ecosystems since 1995, by implementing best practice nature conservation activities in a planned and innovative manner and by successfully encouraging others to do the same.

Recently completed projects have protected, extended and enhanced areas of remnant vegetation in the upper reaches, while improving peoples access to them.

Alcoa Landcare Community Group Award

McMinns Lagoon Reserve Association

More than a decade ago McMinns Lagoon Reserve Association was established with the aim of maintaining and enhancing the biodiversity of the McMinns Lagoon and its surrounds. The Association started building linkages within the community by enlisting the help of local high school students to produce a plan of management. These linkages now extend to both local and Territory governments, local businesses, educational institutions and other volunteer organisations.

Many patches of weeds have been removed, water samples collected and analysed, fences and access trails constructed and revegetation undertaken. McMinns is active in leading the NT in many national campaigns including Olympic Landcare, Mitre 10's Biggest Backyard Improvement Project, National Tree Day, activities to celebrate World Wetlands Week, Biodiversity Month and of course Landcare Week.

All this work has culminated in McMinns Lagoon Reserve Association being named this years winner of the Alcoa Community Group Award. Well Done McMinns.

Telstra Country Wide Research Award

Greening Australia NT - Grasses of the Northern Rangelands

Russell Shaw of Greening Australia NT won the Telstra Country Wide Research Award for the development of an interactive Native Grass Identification CD. The CD is useful for land managers as it provides detailed technical information including clear diagrams and photographs to assist in identification. Written in simple language the CD explains techniques for harvesting, storage, treatment and sowing for native grasses. Never before has there been such an easy to use detailed tool on native grasses of the Northern Territory. Many Landcare groups and land managers have taken the opportunity to learn more about the suitability of native grass species for various applications such as revegetation, pastoral suitability and soil conservation values.

Landcare Australia Local Government Award

Coomalie Community Government Council

The Coomalie Community Government Council administers an area of approximately 1501 km2 taking in the townships of Adelaide River and Batchelor and borders Litchfield National Park. The Council has, over the past 3 years, become actively involved in Landcare across the Coomalie region. The recently completed Coomalie Natural Resource Management Strategy will assist the Council and the community with future planning and environmental projects.

Coomalie Council has forged a strong partnership with Coomalie Landcare Group and supports the groups' activities through assistance at working bees, promotion of meeting and activities and sponsorship. The Council promotes and supports the landcare ethic and endeavours to provide support to continue to improve and protect the environment of the Coomalie Region.

Sensis Landcare Catchment Award

Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association

The Barkly Region of the Northern Territory is an area of "arid zone vegetation", which includes the blacksoil tussock grasslands of the Tablelands. The ancient landmass covers an area of 340,000km2 comprising a diversity of land tenures, the majority of which are commercial pastoral or indigenous Homelands. Population is low and sparse. The 'hub' of the region is the town of Tennant Creek, 1000km south of Darwin with approximately 2500 permanent inhabitants.

The Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association won the Sensis Landcare Catchment Award for their "Collaborative Management of the Semi Arid Lands: An Interim Strategy for the Barkly Region".

Westpac Landcare Education Award

Mataranka Primary School

Mataranka is located 400km south of Darwin on the Stuart Highway. Staff, students, parents teamed up with the Roper River Landcare Group and Greening Australia to set about developing a plan for the Mataranka Primary School "Tall Timbers Revegetation Plot".

The project covers approximately 2 hectares and contains both native and exotic species to make up the 1200 timber trees. As well as the "Tall Timbers" project the school has developed an Eco vegetable garden, traditional bush tucker garden, animal and bird sanctuary and native tree sanctuary. All activities associated with these projects have been incorporated into the curriculum through maths, science, language, art, society and environment. An outstanding and inspirational project involving an entire community

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