Boorowa has snatched two of Landcare Australia’s biggest awards with Charlie Arnott winning the Bob Hawke Landcare Award and David Marsh receiving the national Individual Landcarer Award.
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Both men received their awards at the 2018 National Landcare Awards in Brisbane last week.
In receiving the award, Mr Arnott acknowledged the work of his fellow finalists, Simon Falkiner from Victoria and Dr Graeme Stevenson from Tasmania.
“The other finalists, Graham and Simon, have made such huge contributions to Landcare, and both have had a positive impact working with their local communities. I was completely surprised when I heard my name being called out,” Mr Arnott said.
“It’s a real honour to have what I do for a living, my passion, being acknowledged and celebrated.
“I hope that by winning this award, I can inspire more famers to adopt organic and biodynamic practices on their properties so they too can also benefit from enhanced landscape biodiversity, healthy plants and animals, just as we do.
“Being able to facilitate more on farm workshops and training for farmers and others interested in biodynamics is another opportunity this award presents.”
The award acknowledges a person who has; demonstrated a remarkable commitment to caring for the land, champions better practices, and gives their time to share knowledge with others so that they too can prosper.
The biodynamic farmer and grazier was awarded a $50,000 prize package to further develop his knowledge and skills in Landcare and sustainable land management practices.
Boorowa’s David Marsh received the Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award from former Governor-General Major General the Hon. Michael Jeffery.
“Receiving this award is very humbling but also makes me feel very proud to be recognised in a roomful of peers who are all doing wonderful things,” Mr Marsh said.
Mr Marsh’s award celebrates a Landcare volunteer who has demonstrated leadership in, and commitment to improving land management practices through practical on-ground or community awareness activities.
Landcare Australia says Mr Marsh is acknowledged for alerting primary producers to the fact that a healthy catchment and long-term profitability go hand in hand.
He was pivotal in the early establishment of the Landcare movement, and Mr Marsh’s property Allendale has long been a proving ground for sympathetic land management.
Mr Marsh’s on-ground practices have been hugely influential in educating other landholders, and since 1989 the Marsh family has hosted thousands of visitors to their property.
David was one of the first people in the Boorowa district to use direct seeding techniques for planting trees.
Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, commended the National Landcare winners on their outstanding accomplishments.
“It’s an honour to be able to recognise the great work being carried out by our Landcare champions,” he said.
“The national Landcare awards offers landcarers the ideal opportunity to get together and celebrate the individual and collective achievements of the community. Landcarers across Australia deserve to be acknowledged and praised.”
