First Nations People and scientists working together to monitor Country through citizen science We are lucky enough that there are people in the world who care deeply about our natural environment. Whether they are scientists, people who work in natural resource management or First Nations People who have been caring for Country since time immemorial. However, the most common discussion that we…
Blooming Connections brought older Murrumbidgee residents together through nature-based activities, building skills, friendships and confidence while promoting wellbeing, environmental awareness and long-term community connection across the region. Across the Murrumbidgee region, many older residents face social isolation, limited opportunities for connection and reduced access to community activities. Rural living increases these challenges through distance, transport…
The Narrandera Koala Count is one of Australia’s longest-running citizen science monitoring programs, critical to sustaining the Narrandera Koala colony’s conservation over five decades. After successfully lobbying for the first koala translocation for conservation purposes in NSW in the early 1970s, the Narrandera Koala colony experienced a lack of sustained formal monitoring and an increase…
About 25 years ago the Riverina Highlands Landcare Nursery was opened, under a different name, in a different time. The initial coordinator lasted two weeks, and trusty volunteer Ken stepped up to the challenge. Tumut local, Ken Stubbs, was the Nursery Coordinator and he still plays a significant part in both the Nursery and Tumut…
How Batlow rallied local community networks and Landcare groups to restore bushland and build environmental resilience after the devastating 2020 bushfires. The 2020 Black Summer bushfires devastated Batlow’s bushland, wiping out swathes of native vegetation and wildlife habitat, whilst leaving the landscape badly scarred. In the aftermath, the Batlow Environment Network (BEN) formed to bring…
Landcare groups spend thousands of volunteer hours restoring habitat. Telling the stories of their efforts and storing maps and surveys of a group are sometimes forgotten about until there is no sign of the records. As people get older and Landcare groups fold and change there is a need to store information built up by…
Junee Regenerative Landcare is trying to focus on more hands-on activities to reconnect people with the local landscape. At the Junee Reefs Bioblitz participants recorded 78 observations and 52 species, including one never recorded in the shire. A great result from a small start! Case Study: Small Team, Big Discovery at Junee Reefs Case Study…
Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc and Nari Nari Tribal Council facilitated a Caring for Country Day for year eight students at Hay War Memorial High School The issue Many Year 8 students feel disconnected and seek ways to contribute and feel like they belong in society. Year 8 Hay War Memorial High School Science Teacher Miss…
A field day at ‘Allandale’ in Narrandera, exploring the connection between Cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation. The issue Cultural connections in Australian conservation face several challenges, including the difficulty of mainstream society recognising intangible Cultural resources and integrating traditional ecological knowledge into mainstream frameworks. Systemic barriers, such as historical disconnection from policy and…
Cultivating a strong sense of environmental responsibility, experiencing a connection to nature and instilling values of stewardship early in children’s lives is as important for people’s wellbeing as it is for healthy ecosystems. Hay Plains Landcare is committed to teaching the next generation and through a successful Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant Application, have been able…