Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare Network

Increasing local community capacity to manage environmental recovery through skill-based workshops and on ground support in Upper Hawkesbury. Focus for Bilpin, Mountain Lagoon, Kurrajong to East Kurrajong, Colo & Colo Heights, St Albans, Macdonald Valley and surrounds

A Regional Partnership project between Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare Network and Greater Sydney Local Land Services to provide funding assistance to 16 neighbouring properties along Little Wheeny Creek who are collectively restoring over 24 ha of koala habitat and Western Sydney Dry Rainforest in Kurrajong.

The Healing with Nature program includes 7 fun events with different activities for all age groups. It embodies principles of nature therapy which is the practice of being in nature to boost mental and physical health. It focuses on spending quality time outdoors, and the recovery of people and the environment in a fun, casual way. The program provides a chance for individuals to disconnect from the busy world, learn practical techniques to manage stress & anxiety*, seek help and focus on themselves. *These mechanisms are not a replacement for professional support. This project aims to help people engage in the environment who may not otherwise, start restoring and forming their connections to the local environment and in tern restore themselves. Hopefully, this will encourage people to spend more time in nature and become Landcarers or Bushcarers themselves. This program will run between September and December 2022.

Landcare networks across Greater Sydney bring community members together and support the protection, restoration and improvement of the natural environment. Improving biodiversity outcomes through networking and knowledge and capacity building are strengths of Landcare across Greater Sydney. The six proposed workshops leverage these strengths and provide Landcare with an opportunity to engage further with landholders on the Central Coast, in the Hawkesbury and in the Macarthur. The workshops will complement existing Landcare activities by extending reach as well as extending knowledge of conservation management on privately managed land.

This is a one-off grant to be awarded under the Flood Wellbeing and Resilience Small Grants. The applicant submitted the request via the formal grant's application process set up by WentWest, and was deemed to successfully meet the eligibility criteria. Following that process, the Commissioning team has met with the applicant and is satisfied that they will be capable of delivering the project proposed, which consists of nature therapy programs to promote wellbeing through connection to the local environment, as successfully delivered in other regions including the Hawkesbury/Nepean area.