Coffs Harbour Landcare Annual Awards
Coffs Harbour Landcare Annual Awards
Acknowledging local achievements
Local Links - Stronger Communities -
LLCI033-070
The issue
The challenge is the maintenance of and support for an active landcare community which involves 300 volunteers in the Coffs Harbour LGA. These volunteers are mostly working on public lands in the city and on the beaches and headlands of the local government area and it can be difficult to bring them together and to share their experiences. Most of them are unlikely to attend any conferences or regional events and they would not be aware of the knowledge and commitments of others in the wider network.
The solution
One of our solutions is the annual celebration of local landcarers’ achievements and commitment through an award for one individual as well as for one group. Both are in memory of local landcare identities (Eileen Moody and Dee Wallace) who played a very important role in the development of our landcare network. We call for nominations from the entire membership and ask nominees to describe the achievements of the person they nominate in a short paragraph. The CHRL executive committee then votes on the winners. We hold this event annually at rotating venues, where the local group also take us on a short walk of their worksite. All nominees receive a certificate of appreciation and a plaque is engraved with the winners’ names for the year and attached to a wooden sculpture.
During the award celebrations, we display photos of past winners and this gives everyone the opportunity to reflect on past achievements and to witness the continuity and development of landcare activity over time in our area.
We publicise the award winners in our network newsletter as well as in the local papers. We enjoy a shared lunch together and cater for BBQ sausage sandwiches and non-alcoholic drinks.
The impact
Our members immensely appreciate the recognition this annual award provides for individual and group commitment and achievements in their landcare activities. Many of our most committed and reliable landcarers are very quiet achievers who would never blow their own trumpet. Many of our volunteers may not be very good with words and this gives them the opportunity to speak about others and express their appreciation.
Key facts
- Annual awards event
- 30 participants
- awarded since 1995
- Documentation of local achievements
- 1 media release
- Demonstration of natural area regeneration on site