Nominations for the 2010 Weedbuster Awards close on March 31. It’s now time to down tools and get nominating.
Environment Canterbury, the Department of Conservation and a number of local councils hold the Weedbuster Awards every two years to recognise people who help manage pest plants in Canterbury. This work is done in volunteers’ own time, and many also promote weed awareness or education in their community.
Entry is open to individual volunteers and people who are part of a community group or an industry initiative. Volunteers may receive financial support from grants to cover operational costs, but time spent doing the work must be donated. There is no age restriction and people can nominate themselves.
The last awards in 2008 received 14 nominations from across Canterbury. The Mt Somers Walkways Society deservedly received acknowledgement for their ongoing efforts to bust broom, gorse and gooseberry, clearing the way for beech forest, manuka scrub and native grasslands to re-establish.
Canterbury regional Weedbuster Co-ordinator Gemma Bradfield (Environment Canterbury) said that it was great to receive Mt Somers Walkways Society’s nomination for the Ashburton district in 2008 and hopes to see them feature again.
“I am sure there are many under-appreciated Weedbusters in the Ashburton district that don’t know about the awards and may be unaware there are active regional and national Weedbuster networks they could plug into for help and advice,” she said.
Environment Canterbury Councillor and Pest Chair Eugenie Sage said that the purpose of the awards is to give public recognition to people and communities that give freely of their time to fight a dirty and unglamorous war against weeds.
“Having presented at the 2008 awards, I can say it is always a pleasure to be able to congratulate and encourage the groups and individuals in our communities who often work quietly and unseen on weed control. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and so their valuable work is more relevant than ever,” she said.
If you think of a local school/group/individual to put forward for the 2010 Weedbuster awards, please visit www.weedbusters.org.nz or contact Gemma Bradfield (Environment Canterbury) 03 364 9860 to make your nomination. Entries close March 31.
Environment Canterbury Pest Management Committee Chair Councillor Eugenie Sage, can be contacted on (03) 329 3177 or 021 155 3937.