Eucalyptus ID masterclass
Two-day intensive masterclass identifying eucalypts of the Western Sydney, Hawkesbury and Lower Blue Mountains Regions.
Capacity to Deliver - LP040-002
The issue
Skills development has been identified as an issue by the community of volunteers and professionals working to restore native bushland. Access to current knowledge and best practice is important for Landcarers, Bushcarers, and environmental professionals to be able to deliver on-ground results that benefit ecosystems.
The solution
Two intensive weekend workshops were delivered on the eucalypt species of the Lower Blue Mountains, Cumberland and Hawkesbury regions. The workshops were delivered by a local expert on eucalyptus and Greater Sydney flora. The workshop was made available at a low cost so it could be accessible to volunteers in addition to professionals.
The impact
Over 40 people from different backgrounds attended the workshops. The intensive workshop was very well received with feedback including that often in-depth workshops on local flora are not available.
Learnings
Ecological consultants made up a large proportion of attendees instead of the volunteer target audience. Future events could offer a higher rate for professionals working in organisations who can afford to pay for the event. These rates could subsidise places for volunteers and students. Additionally, concessions could be made available to GSLN members to incentivise locals to sign up for membership with Greater Sydney Landcare Network.
Key facts
- Local on-ground training workshops are often not available for environmental volunteers or professionals.
- A two-day intensive eucalypt ID course was offered for the Lower Blue Mountains/ Western Sydney region.
- The workshop had over 40 attendees.
- Future workshops could have subsidised places for volunteers through higher fees for professionals.