A highly successful ‘Evening with Landcare’ provided a unique opportunity for Members of Parliament to meet grassroots Landcarers, including our own Nambucca Valley Landcare Chair and Coordinator, and engage with issues facing agriculture, the environment and rural communities in NSW.
Held at Parliament House on 10 May, the event was organised by the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Landcare, a non-political group formed in 2015 to enable MPs to show their support for Landcare in their local communities. Parliamentary Friends of Landcare is chaired by the Hon Katrina Hodgkinson, who hosted the evening.
The event was attended by around 65 people, with Landcare NSW Councillors, Local Coordinators, Landcare volunteers and senior departmental representatives mingling with MPs from all political parties and parts of NSW.
Ms. Hodgkinson noted the role of Landcare, Bushcare and Oceanwatch saying, “All these different types of caring for our land and caring for our environment are very, very important.” She also highlighted the importance of the partnership between Local Land Services and Landcare NSW.
Sue Salvin, Chair of Nambucca Valley Landcare and Vice Chair of the North Coast Regional Landcare Network spoke to the group about the realities facing Landcare groups on the ground, while our new Local Landcare Coordinator Logan Zingus discussed the opportunities presented by his recent employment funded under the NSW Government’s $15m Landcare Policy 2019. They discussed how Landcare in their area is being reinvigorated. Logan has been employed as one of the 66 part-time Landcare Coordinator positions.
