JARR Awards

The JARR Project has had a special mention in a number of awards.

The Lyrebird Award
"Yarram Yarram Landcare Network (YYLN) was awarded the Lyrebird Award for Excellence in Natural Resource Management for our Community Leadership and Environmental Outcomes.
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority run the Lyrebird awards and this year they were held in Yarragon on December 5. The awards were begun in 1995 and are held every three years. A small contingent of YYLN people including board members, staff and JARR Committee representatives were invited to be present for the ceremony.
It was a nervous wait until the winners were announced as we were nominated in very good company including the two other eventual winners, Yarragon’s John Poppins and Archie’s Creek’s Paul Spiers. The Lyrebird has only been awarded to one other group since its inception. We are the first Landcare network to be given the award.
This Lyrebird Award is the culmination of the efforts of everyone within the Yarram Network over many years. The work of the JARR Committee was of particular note as they were nominated separately and the two entries were combined to win the award.
In his acceptance speech, David McAninly mentioned the three things he was most proud that YYLN had achieved were
•    the replacement of native vegetation after willow removal along our waterways
•    the connectivity of the landscape through the protection of remnant vegetation and establishment of corridors
•    the modelling and trialling of farm practices to increase the sustainability and resilience of primary industries in our region."
Sally-Ann Henderson, Co-ordinator, Yarram Yarram Landcare Network

Victorian Landcare Partner's Award
The Norman Wettenhall Foundation (NWF) was nominated for this prestigous award by YYLN.

"The NWF is a very important partner and supporter of YYLN’s JARR area project. They have been a faithful donor to our Network; supporting us to get the Communities For Nature JARR project and allowing us to develop the JARR Biodiversity Blueprint and JARR brochures. They also support a range of other Landcare groups across Victoria and Australia through their small grants program and their Landscape Restoration projects.
The Awards were held at Government House on the 28th August 2013. The Norman Wettenhall Foundation (NWF) was announced this year’s winner of the Landcare Partnership Category.  We were thrilled to watch Beth Mellick and Geoff Park receive the award from the Governor on behalf of the Foundation."
Sally-Ann Henderson YYLN Co-ordinator

The Victorian Coastal Council Natural Environment Award for Coastal Saltmarsh Protection
"I am very proud to announce YYLN’s Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project  has won the Natural Environment Award in the  Victorian Coastal Awards for Excellence 2014 run by the Victorian Coastal Council.
The Victorian Coastal Council (VCC) was “particularly excited about the high calibre of nominations in each of the six award categories being contested this year”.  The Minister for Environment & Climate Change, the Hon Ryan Smith announced the award winners at the VCC awards ceremony on Sept 11th in Melbourne.
As project manager of the saltmarsh program since 2010, I would like to congratulate the farmers, landholders, contractors and agency staff  for their hard work and long hours put into this project. Thankyou all for the long term commitment needed to protect this fragile coastal environment for the benefit of future generations.
YYLN in partnership with the WGCMA through the Corner Inlet Connections Project has worked closely with landholders to protect and enhance high priority areas of coastal vegetation (saltmarsh and mangrove communities) adjoining the RAMSAR Listed Wetlands of Corner Inlet & Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park. To date YYLN’s Coastal Saltmarsh Protection Project has protected 700 ha of saltmarsh on freehold land between Port Albert and Reeves Beach."
Samantha Monks, Project Officer, Yarram Yarram Landcare Network