LCF Achievements
Overview of LCF achievements
- LCF has been able to provide financial assistance, technical support and increase the level of education and awareness in Natural Resource Management in the Lake Cowal Catchment with over 82 local landholders supporting and participating in the activities;
- LCF has initiated/been involved in the implementation of 30 projects. Nineteen projects have been completed and eleven are in progress;
- LCF has committed almost $1.36 million towards projects having a cash and in-kind value of approximately $8.77 million, as a result of partnerships formed with a range of groups and landholders;
- The Lake Cowal Conservation Centre was officially opened on the 2nd November 2007 with 109 representatives of partner organisations and stakeholders sharing in the celebrations;
- The BIG project is recognised as a LCMA “flagship project” within the catchment and has received considerable recognition;
- LCF projects have resulted in 13,842 ha of land now being managed for conservation or sustainable farming in the local area primarily through participation in the BIG Project;
- A paper titled “Lake Cowal Foundation – Environmental and Community Sustainability beyond the Mine Fence,” written by Bill Shallvey (Barrick) and Donna Johnston (LCF) was accepted for presentation at the World Gold Conference held in Cairns, October 2007;
- Forty local landholders have completed Property Planning workshops through Western Institute of TAFE from 2006 to 2008. Nine of these landholders have commenced study of Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management. Another group of 13 landholders have participated in NSW Department of Primary Industry’s “Prograze” course (sustainable grazing management course) in the first half of 2007;
- LCF received “Silver” in the 2005 NSW Landcare “Rivercare” Awards in recognition of the achievements of the Lake Cowal Conservation projects;
- The LCF “model” has been viewed favorably by numerous groups, companies and organisations, with some investigating the feasibility for adoption. Barrick Australia’s Cowal Gold Mine won the Inaugural NSW Mineral Council awards for Community and Environment and took “gold” for the Peoples’ Choice Award;
- The LCF has worked closely with NSW State Landcare and has been put forward as “a most notable example of industry-community-institutional partnerships in NRM and one that could be emulated by the mining sector in other parts of the state”.
- The LCF has partnered with respected Pasture Cropping and No Kill cropping specialists to facilitate training in this management practice that achieves both sustainable agricultural and conservation objectives. Land managers both from local and regional Australia have participated in this intensive course held at the Lake Cowal Conservation Centre.
- The LCF with the Advanced Pasture Cropping Company has produced a training documentary in DVD form that encapsulates the most important principles and benefits of Pasture Cropping & No Kill Cropping. This is being distributed both locally and regionally as a tool to promote the adoption of this practice.
- West Wyalong High School won the Education Category for their involvement in the Lake Cowal Conservation Centre (LCCC) at the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority awards, held in July 2007, and represented the LCCC project for the NSW Landcare awards in October 2007, where it was a runner up in this category.
- Presentations to over 525 people throughout 2007/2008 at seminars, conferences and workshops, plus radio, TV and video exposure highlighting the activities of the LCF.
