8 September 2015…

Key local Landcare practitioners in the Peel-Harvey region have been named finalists in the 2015 State Landcare Awards.

The Peel-Harvey Catchment Council (PHCC) is a finalist in the Partnerships with Landcare category for the Rivers 2 Ramsar Project, and PHCC’s project manager, Thelma Crook, is a finalist in the Landcare Facilitator category.

Thelma Crook has been a passionate advocate of Landcare in the Peel-Harvey region for almost three decades. She worked as a natural resource officer with the Department of Water and Greening Australia, leading legacy projects such as DOW’s Ribbons of Blue and Greening Australia’s River Recovery. Thelma has volunteered for the past three years to co-ordinate the annual Shorebird 2020 counts, when funding to support these ceased. In 2010, Thelma received a fellowship under an Alcoa Australia’s sponsored Earthwatch program to work overseas and spent two weeks in the Jizera Mountains in the Czech Republic studying the impacts of acid rain on vegetation and waterways.

PHCC chair, Jan Star AM, said the news that the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council and its popular lead project manager were finalists was very gratifying.

“We are thrilled to have Thelma recognised for her work on our Rivers 2 Ramsar project, particularly beyond just those that have the privilege of working with her. Thelma shines through again with the Partnerships category – her role in securing the funding and then successfully managing the Rivers 2 Ramsar project with our project officer Jo Garvey and the multiple partners and stakeholders is to be commended. All Landcare projects are a team effort, and so becoming finalists in this category acknowledges everyone who is helping with Rivers 2 Ramsar – within and outside the PHCC team,” said Jan Star.

The Australian Government has committed $3.5 million over four years to the Rivers 2 Ramsar project to restore ecological corridors across the Peel-Harvey catchment to re-establish habitats for native fauna.

Thelma, who had no idea she was even nominated by the PHCC team, said she was very surprised to be singled out as a finalist.

“Our Rivers 2 Ramsar Landcare project is such a team effort. We have seven partners in its delivery, as well as numerous stakeholders that we continually engage with as a team. We are extremely proud of everyone involved, and enjoy working in such a close knit Landcare community,” said Thelma Crook.

Winners of the WA 2015 Landcare State Awards will be announced at the State NRM Conference in Mandurah on Tuesday 22 September.

This project is supported by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council through funding from the Australian Government.

ENDS…
Media Contact: Jane O’Malley, Chief Executive Officer, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, Jane.Omalley@peel-harvey.org.au , (08) 6369 8800

 

We acknowledge the Noongar people as Traditional Custodians of this land and pay our respects to all Elders past and present