Inspiring and supporting our community to conserve and restore Brunswick Valley's
natural environment from forest to foreshore
natural environment from forest to foreshore
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Inspiring and supporting our community to conserve and restore Brunswick Valley's natural environment from forest to foreshore |
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About Brunswick Valley Landcare Links to useful documents:
Brunswick Valley Landcare Incorporated (BVL Inc) was formed in November 2003 as a non-political, not for profit organisation to help Landcare groups and landholders in the Brunswick River Catchment develop projects and apply for funds. Prior to that, local Landcare groups worked in isolation. The role of BVL is summarised by its mission statement: Inspiring and supporting our community to conserve and restore Brunswick Valley's natural environment from forest to foreshore. The need for an umbrella body to support local Landcare (and Dunecare) groups became apparent with the introduction by the New South Wales Government of the Catchment Management Act of 2003. This established 13 catchment management authorities across the state including the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, which is responsible for the Brunswick Catchment. [See Role of the CMA] By joining together under the BVL umbrella the various volunteer locality groups in the Brunswick Catchment are able to share costs, particularly public liability insurance, employ professionals, and have an effective interface with the NRCMA to negotiate funding. All members of the affiliated locality groups make up the membership of BVL Inc, which is also open to individuals who are not in a group. It is administered by a management committee elected from the general membership. With membership fees BVL Inc is able to purchase an insurance umbrella including the public liability insurance so often out of reach for small groups. This provides cover for all members of affiliated groups at Landcare activities as well as volunteers who may not be members of BVL Inc but who work on the locality group sites. Membership also covers costs such as bank fees, accounting and administration. When these charges are spread out over the whole membership they are much more affordable for everyone. The management committee's duties include administering funds and assisting locality groups with their submissions for funding grants, giving them a better opportunity to compete for the available money with other groups around the state and nationally. One success story is the Environmental Trust funding obtained to rehabilitate riparian vegetation along river and creek banks, providing nine sites with three years of funding. This grant was won by the management committee’s tendering expertise. Locality groups, which may also be formed for specific projects such as re-establishing forest/park vegetation, continue to organise and manage their own work sites and projects. BVL organises regular workshops and bushwalks to share knowledge with the wider community about our natural environment, whether you live on a farm, a rural property, or a residential block in town. Experienced presenters will show you how to fix up your local patch of bush. Workshop times and locations are announced in the local press, and frequently by a membership electronic mail-out. BVL also publishes a bi-monthly newsletter for members as well as a quarterly magazine. This website also provides a primary source of communication. |