I have made a heart felt decision to move on, so that I can devote my energies to other areas of my life that I have been neglecting.
During my time with the network, we have achieved many wonderful things including on ground projects with some 21 landholders and 8 public reserves/sites, equating to some 114,000 trees. We have delivered 6 capacity building activities, involved 400 plus volunteers, developed a strategic plan and a web log. In recent months I have secured funding for another 20,000 trees to be planted at 3 reserves and 2 landholder sites. I have also set about seeking expressions of interest for funding for a further possible 25 land holder projects around Belfast Loch.
I had great ambitions for the network and was unable to realise all of them but I am still happy with what I have been able to achieve.
There are many highlights for me but none greater than the relationships I have formed with many wonderful people along the way (especially enthusiastic land holders) and the opportunity to play a small part in rejuvinating the brutalised landscape of the green desert.
Few people seem to realise how much effort some people put into caring about the local environment. Many people go unrecognised in their efforts, despite achieving great things. A few people I would like to recognise for their outstanding contribution to local environmental conservation include :
- Don McTaggart
- Ian Bodycoat
- John Amor (RIP)
- John Norton
- Peter Bolte
- Richard Weatherley
- Brenton Bartsch
- Carolyn Rundell
- Dean Suckling
- Matthew Ebden.
I would also like to recognise the input and connection to country of the local Gunditjmarra people, who have gone largely unheard by local NRM groups.
Thank you to the support of local agency staff and staff in Landcare Australia Limited, especially :
- Mary Johnson, Dave Nichols, Tony Lithgow & Margie Finnegan of Glenelg Hopkins CMA
- Francis Jeon-Ellis, John Bott & Shivani Jayasinghe of LAL
- Carolyn Rundell of Trust for Nature
- Jonathon Lee of Conservation Volunteers
- Marty Gent of DSE
- Matthew Ebden of Deakin University.
Thank you to everyone for their ongoing support and interest in healing Gunditjmarra land.
I wish you all the best in health, happiness and harmony.
Richard Hudson.
PS. From this point onwards key contact for the network will be Karen Wales (Network Chair) via email : basalttobay@gmail.com or 55 620 021.
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