On 5th and 6th February 2020, researchers, practitioners and the local community came together at the University of New England in Armidale to talk about rivers, streams and catchments in Northern New South Wales (NSW) as part of the inaugural RBMS NSW Forum.
The two days kicked off with a walk down Dumaresq Creek to hear about the restoration efforts occurring along the riparian corridor and the techniques used to benefit the urban green space. The fieldtrip was followed a Welcome to Country from Colin Ahoy, Elder-in-Residence at the Oorala Aboriginal Centre and a series of talks and discussions where participants could share their knowledge and perspectives on Stream and Catchment Recovery in NSW.
Day 2 started with a panel discussion on Water in Dry Times with input from Jane Humphries (Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder), Cameron Lay (NSW DPI Fisheries), Emma Howey (NSW DPIE) and Gordon Williams (Eastlake Partnership). Followed by talks on Landscapes and the Murray Darling Basin and Big critters, little critters, resilience and management.
A virtual reality experience showcased by Northern Tablelands LLS was a hit with participants and showed how new technologies can be used to help people understand the plight of our critically endangered species such as the Regent Honeyeater. To finish off the forum Northern Tablelands Landcare ran a session on ‘Next Steps’ to discuss how our network and participants in our field can facilitate connections and drive best practice.
With over 60 people in attendance, it was great to hear from many perspectives and to support a network of passionate and enthusiastic people.
The RBMS would like to thank the organising committee, presenters and sponsors (2rog Consulting, University of New England, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services, NSW DPI Fisheries) for making this event a success.
NSW RBMS is looking forward to running and supporting more knowledge sharing events in the coming year. If you would be interested to share your knowledge and run an event in NSW please get in touch!
Contact: Rhiannon Hughes, NSW Chapter Lead – rhughes317@gmail.com
