Awards

The winners of the 2009 State Awards will go on to compete for the national title at the 2010 National Landcare Awards in Canberra. (updated 7 January 2010) The dates for the awards are to be announced on Friday 5th February 2010.
Categories There are ten award categories in total, two of which have a youth focus. The Landcare Education can be contested by both primary and secondary schools and youth groups, whilst the Young Landcare leader Award is for individuals between 15 and 30. Landcare Education Award This award will be made to a primary or secondary school or youth group – either as a whole class or special group. The award is for the school/group’s contribution to raising awareness, knowledge and understanding of landcare amongst students and/or the community, and for implementing landcare practices on its own property or within the local community. NEW CATEGORY Young Landcare Leader Award This award will be made to an individual between the ages of 15-30 who carries out and/or promotes landcare (includes Coastcare/ sustainable agriculture/general sustainability) through on-ground or awareness activities, as a volunteer. You may nominate yourself or a person from your community for this award. 2010 National Finalists 2010 Westpac Landcare Education Award Finalists ACT: Lanyon High School NSW: Orara Valley Learning Community, Orara Valley VIC: Badger Creek Primary School QLD: Gatton State Primary School NT: Darwin High School TAS: Deloraine High School SA: Sue Reynolds Year 5 class, Grange Primary School WA: Baldivis Primary School 2010 Young Landcare Leader Award Finalists ACT: Nicholas Lever NSW: Erin Rowe, Windsor VIC: Kayla Groombridge TAS: Melanie Gent WA: Linda Vernon Previous Winners
	Camperdown College Environment Group (VIC) 2008 Westpac Landcare Education Award Winner Camperdown P-12 College is a small secondary school in south-west Victoria with around 450 students. Its environment group formed in 2002 and has volunteer student members across all year levels. A remote village in the mountains of Nepal is about as far as you can get from everyday life at Camperdown College, but the school’s environment group coordinated a collection of misplaced pens, pencils and second-hand clothing to distribute among poverty stricken children there. A small number of students from the environment group travelled to the village and worked with those who received the donations to help with a village clean up. The group has achieved a tremendous amount in five years, not only within the school itself but in local, national and even international communities. The group has worked on projects in Nepal, New Zealand and Queensland as well as hosting conferences and running an environmental education centre, bush food gardens, regeneration projects and a major waste minimisation project. More about Camperdown College and all other 2008 National Landcare Award finalists at www.landcareonline.com
	The Woodbridge School (TAS) 2006 Westpac Landcare Education Award Winner This small country school of 300 students implemented a school-wide sustainability program and have integrated sustainable environmental practices throughout the entire school. Classes take individual responsibility for particular areas of the school grounds. Some children tend veggie patches and others have created an indigenous garden with native plants. Older students have helped with stream bank rehabilitation and created habitat for barred bandicoots. High school students have developed an extensive management plan for a swampy, reedy hollow. This is to create a special wetland for frogs. These kids are really forward thinking. In 2004, more than a third of the students were involved in planting and maintaining native plants. The school is extensively involved in the national Frog Zone program to rehabilitate wetlands for frogs. The school’s wetland site has been weeded, fenced and rehabilitated. Blue gums have been planted to attract swift parrots. There are now regular visits from mountain ducks, native hens, spur winged plovers and white faced herons. All the organic school waste is collected and composted. The school recycles paper, cork and cartridges. They go all out to help the environment. They also have a marine discovery centre and more than 9,000 students a year get coastal education through it. They are sharing environmental information with schools in America, Canada and Croatia.
Awards Enquiries More information about the National Landcare Awards will be available soon. Keep up to date with news by subscribing to our e-newsletter, The Junior Landcarer.