Milestone for Landcare

It was a birthday to remember for the Katanning Landcare group, which has accomplished 25 years of significant conservation progress in the district.

A birthday luncheon was held at the Landcare offices last week for the group, allowing past and present Landcare representatives and affiliates to join the celebration and look back on the group's successes.

Gazetted in 1990, the Landcare group has acquired more than $10 million of funding for projects and initiatives, but Landcare managing officer Jill Richardson said this was only the beginning.

"We have a huge way to go, it's an ongoing thing," she said.

"Over the years this organisation has retained its strength because it has a culture of adapting.

"There is no such thing as financial security, but we have been able to stay current with whatever the funding programs are, whatever the Government policies are."

Tackling significant projects, including the Carnaby's black cockatoo project in 2005, the red-tailed phascogales rehabilitation initiative and improvements at Lake Ewlyamartup, program manager Ella Maesepp said now that the Landcare ball was rolling and the momentum and community understanding was there, their job was to keep it that way.

"Now we are looking to get more involved with household and domestic sustainability - that urban type of stuff is really starting to pick up" she said.

With instrumental support from past representatives, including Landcare's inaugural chairman Norm Flugge, Lyn Coleman, Adrian Richardson and Bronte Rundle, Mr Flugge said the initial objectives of Landcare were still valid 25 years on.

"We are still working towards them. Landscape has changed but we can definitely see some significant positivity in Landcare in the future, "he said. "Twenty-five years on, we are in a much better place and I congratulate the current leaders and look forward to what's ahead."