Published 9 December 2011

Another Landcare year winds to a close in the local area with the Watershed Landcare Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday night. That lingering notion of Landcare being just about tree planting was certainly challenged by the end of year Presentation of Achievements, which showed how Landcare has evolved into so much more. Indeed, the objective of Watershed Landcare is to “provide a catalyst for the community through education, coordination and support towards the improvement of the socio-economic and physical environment of the region” – in other words, we’re more than tree huggers.

Local landcare coordinator, Thea Ridley, presented a slide show of 2011Watershed Landcare achievements including educational, coordination and support activities.

Key educational activities included the third annual Green Day, the Hargraves School Garden Classroom, a Soil Carbon and Grazing workshop, and a diverse lecture program at the Mudgee Small Farm Field Days along with our annual Pasture Cropping and Water Wise garden demonstrations. Our weekly Mudgee Guardian column is also a great educational resource for the community, with past copies posted on our website.

Watershed Landcare coordinated three special interest groups within the membership, including the Mudgee Microscope Group, the Grazing Group and the Native Grasses in Rural Cemeteries group.

Watershed has supported the local Landcare community primarily through two serrated tussock projects, including field days, paddock surveys, serrated tussock identification and contractor spraying. We also supported landholders who wished to explore new and emerging techniques to help manage serrated tussock.

Our public office, located at the Australian Rural Education Centre, is currently being completed by Watershed Landcare members. This public office will be another way we will support Landcare activities in the region in 2012.

Watershed successfully secured nearly $90,000 in 2011 from a range of funding and sponsorship sources, including the Central West Catchment Management Authority, Mid-Western Regional Council, the Australian Governments’ Caring for our Country, Essential Energy, Wilpinjong Coal, Thiess and NSW Landcare.

Also presented at the AGM was a TEDtalk titled “Are mushrooms the new plastic”. TEDtalks are an amazing online collection of talks on all sorts of topics. Be sure to check this out; guaranteed you will find something that inspires you. See www.ted.com

Finally, Watershed is looking forward to another inspiring year working with members in 2012.