The Burnett Mary NRM Awards
On the 7th of October 2009 in Kingaroy, the Burnett Mary Regional Group held an
awards night to recognize achievement in natural resource management over the
past year in the Burnett Mary region. These awards coincided with the Better Catchments & Healthy Habitats - A Showcase held on the 7th and 8th of October.
The Award Winners for 2009:
Awards for Individuals
Outstanding Land Manager Award
Winner: Peter and Elke Watson
The Watsons operate a successful dairy farm on the Mary River, and for many years
have been incorporating the management of their natural resources into the running
of the property. The Watsons fenced and protected their section of the Mary River
many years ago, which has resulted in increased farm profitability and improved
ecosystem benefits. Recently under the Better Catchments program the Watsons
have improved the floodplain wetland areas on their property with the revegetation
of the riparian zone surrounding a section of the wetland. The Watsons aim to
continue the rehabilitation of this important wetland on their property, eventually
providing a direct vegetated link from the wetland to the Mary River.
Natural Resource Management Mentor Award
Winner: Phil Moran
Phil Moran has dedicated a lot of time supporting trainees, Work for the Dole
and Community Jobs program participants and Greencorps teams hosted by Noosa &
District Landcare and Sunshine Coast Regional Council. Countless successful projects
have been completed under his guidance over the past 10 years including Corridors
of Green, Black Mountain Range Catchment Project, Pomona Landfill Evapotranspiration
Capping Project, Happy Jack Creek Rehabilitation Project and the Mary River Aquatic
Weed Management Strategy. Interstate he is a trusted counsellor for governments,
researchers and catchment management authorities in Grafton, Darwin and Canberra.
He was selected to provide evidence on the proposed Traveston Dam to the Senate
Select Committee and is the Current Vice Chair of National Aquatic Weeds Management
Group.
Outstanding Volunteer Award
Winner: Trevor Gleeson
Trevor Gleeson has always been an active and involved member of his community.
He is a long term member of the North Burnett Landcare Group and is the Group's
current President. Trevor's efforts and commitment to the organisation and their
projects, especially in organising and hosting the 2008 Qld Landcare Conference
in Monto, have been outstanding.
Ecological Restoration Excellence Award
Winner: Dianne Collier
Recognition for an individual who has achieved outstanding on-ground outcomes
that have greatly improved or protected significant ecological areas and/or communities.
Activities such as the protection of significant flora and fauna species, weed
control in areas of biodiversity significance, and riparian restoration activities
are also eligible for this award.
Innovation in Land Management for Water Quality Improvement Award
Winner: DAG Group
The DAG Group comprises of the Cronau and Ross farming families of the Yerra/Mungar
districts. They own sugarcane farming properties adjacent to the Mary River between Tiaro
and Maryborough. Both families are committed to reducing any negative environmental
impacts of their farming operations. This includes improving the quality of the
water that leaves their farms and enters the Mary River. To help them achieve
this goal the group received funding through the Reef Partnerships program to
construct a machine capable of direct drilling (burying) compost next to sugarcane
or soybean rows thereby improving their current practice of applying the compost
to the soil surface. This project has realised many tangible water quality benefits.
Awards for Organisations
 Environmental School Award
Winner: Kalkie State School, Bundaberg
Kalkie State School is located in the City of Bundaberg and teaches children
from Prep through to Year 7. Kalkie State School is a Reef Guardian school who
conduct a wide range of ongoing environmental activities both in and out of the
classroom such as reducing waste with their worm farm, conserving water by installing
water saving devices, reducing energy consumption, increasing biodiversity through
tree planting and their butterfly garden, and participating in community awareness
activities as part of the QPW 'Cut the Glow to Help Turtles Go' campaign.
Outstanding not-for-profit Community Group Award
Winner: Burnett Catchment Care Association (BCCA)
BCCA is a not-for-profit organisation based on the philosophy of Integrated Catchment
Management, which includes sustainable and yet efficient land management practices.
The Association came into force in 1995, and after 14 years has worked with many
landholders from the Burnett, Baffle and Kolan River catchments. Since 2007,
BCCA has been able to employ fulltime staff to implement natural resource management
funding to assist landholders in balancing productivity with sustainability.
Outstanding achievements from an agricultural organisation Award
Winner: Central Burnett Area Wide Management Committee
The Fruit Fly Force program, which commenced in July 2003, is self sustaining
with voluntary contributions been made by local growers of orchard fruit (citrus,
grapes, etc). The program uses Integrated Pest Management to control Fruit Fly
across the relevant industries in the Central Burnett. One of the aims is to
improve fruit fly control across the entire district by implementing additional
control strategies in commercial orchards and by implementing controls in town
areas for the first time. The program also reduces the need to use chemicals
in the orchards decreasing the risk of pollution in waterways and surrounding
environment. This committee and town control in one of the first in Australia
and is being used as an example of Area Wide Management across Australia and the
World.
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