Welcome to our new Landcare Support Officer

Dear Landcarers,

It is with pleasure that I report that Alan Cole has joined the Murrumbidgee Landcare team as a Landcare Support Officer (part-time) until the end of the year. This position was funded with a grant to MLi from Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority, from their Community Partnerships Fund.

Alan's role is to work with Landcare networks and groups within the Murrumbidgee catchment to develop and implement ideas that support landholder communities to revitalise their Landcare groups, promote natural resource management and enhance their involvement in NRM projects at the grassroots level. Alan will define and document the current status of Landcare networks and groups, and report on strategic opportunities, alliances and future approaches for Landcare in the catchment.

Alan Cole has a Bachelor of Science (Forestry), an Advanced Diploma in OHS and a Masters degree in Business Administration. His career includes engagements with companies (e.g., GHA) and public organisations (e.g., Greening Australia) to oversight the design, establishment and management of plantations and vineyards in several States. In recent years, Alan has successfully undertaken consulting work in natural resource management and workplace health and safety. He currently owns and manages a 475 acre grazing property at Bowning, where he has invested in sustainable agriculture, landscape rehabilitation and biodiversity conservation. He is a member of Yass Landcare and also interacts with other Landcare groups in the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan catchments.

I invite Landcare groups and interested persons to contact Alan to set up an appointment, either directly at acole@murrumbidgeelandcare.asn.au<mailto:acole@murrumbidgeelandcare.asn.au>, 0447 630 922, or through the following Murrumbidgee Landcare staff - Lauren Roche (Executive Officer, 6933 1443, 0429 462 171), Sam Shannon (Regional Landcare Facilitator, central and upper Murrumbidgee, 0487 953 776) or Kimberley Beattie (Regional Landcare Facilitator, lower Murrumbidgee, 0487 953 777).

Kind regards,
Ted Wolfe, Chair