UGLN Awarded for Fire Recovery Effort

The enormous post fire efforts of the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network and its many supporters was acknowledged at last week’s Victorian Landcare Awards presentation.

The Fire Recovery Award was received on behalf of the Network by Terry Hubbard UGLN President and Chris Cobern, Fire Recovery Coordinator at Government House from the Hon Alex Chernov AO QC Governor of Victoria and the Hon Ryan Smith Minister for Environment.

A great deal of credit for the Award must go to those landcare people who met at Terry Hubbards place just three days after the fire and who feared a backlash against Landcare and the environment in general.

They felt that the UGLN with its ability to respond quickly and decisively and having strong environmental links with the community were well placed to find out the immediate needs of those affected, be proactive in coordinating volunteers and to this end .... work commenced immediately. This Award also reflects the earlier efforts of people like Bridget Clark, Janet Hagen and their bands of volunteers.

In total the UGLN with fantastic support from volunteers has undertaken a recovery program with an estimated value of over $3m.

All our efforts have been well supported by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, in particular Tony Kubeil who entrusted our volunteer Executive and Coordinators after the fires to roll out what has been an astonishing program.

The UGLN efforts have also been recognised for the nationally prestigious Banksia Awards (finalist) and as winner of the Regional Landcare Award.

UGLN Fire Recovery Award

At the recent Goulburn Broken 25th Anniversary Landcare Awards night the UGLN was awarded the 'Network Award' for our fire recovery program.

This award is presented to an out-standing community group that has adopted best management practices on public or private land and is working towards enhancing or protecting an area on behalf of the community.

Photo above is President Terry Hubbard being presented with the award by Former Murrindindi Shire Mayor Lyn Gunter.

Photo below from left Terry, Secretary Lynnda Heard and Treasurer Rodney Ridd.

Alan Stafford - Paul Harris Fellowship Award

Fencers Without Boundaries.

Alan Stafford was recently presented with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award by the Rotary Club of Yea.
As a volunteer with the Uniting Church Alan has been coordinating the rebuilding of fences throughout the shires of Murrindindi and Mitchell since shortly after the 2009 Black Saturday fires.
Since joining forces with the UGLN fire recovery program ‘Fencers Without Boundaries’ in March 2010 Alan and his team of volunteers from Shepparton and Benalla have rebuilt over 100km of fences.
The presentation of Paul Harris Fellow recognition is The Rotary Foundation’s way of expressing its appreciation for a substantial contribution to its humanitarian and educational programs.
Rotarians often designate a Paul Harris Fellow as a tribute to a person whose life demonstrates a shared purpose with the objectives of the Rotary Foundation.
Chris Cobern.