By MARG APPLEBEE

CENTRAL WEST LACHLAN LANDCARE

Join us for our Central West Lachlan Landcare Annual General Meeting!

Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday, February 5 at 5.30pm.

We are looking forward to providing a sum up of our 2023/24 year to our members and welcome attendance from Parkes or Forbes Shire residents who are interested in becoming more involved with CWLL.

As you may have seen, the last financial year was an extremely busy time for us and the Committee provide the much needed voluntary support to everything that happens on a day to day basis.

While I’m talking about our voluntary CWLL Committee….our Treasurer Maree Yapp has just been awarded Forbes Citizen of the Year!

Just one of our fabulous Committee Members who support Landcare and make a difference in our communities.

We traditionally have held our AGM in September/October, but due to a changeover with our financial reporting program, which was beyond our control, we sought an extension from the Department of Fair Trading to ensure that our reporting is perfect. CWLL is a registered charity and an incorporated body, so accountability and transparency is crucial.

Our existing Committee have been instrumental in committing to support Homegrown Parkes as for the next two years.

Without their support, we would not be able to commit to supporting the Central West Region with projects like the Landcare Enabling Program, Biodiversity Conservation Trust Private Land Conservation Matters and People Led Preparedness, which have provided employment, training and importantly, conservation and awareness raising across the Region.

Importantly, moving forward, the Committee will provide a support network for our Regional Landcare Coordinator and Regional Administrative Officer.

These positions allow me to focus more on Parkes and Forbes Shires.

Our Committee commitment is one meeting per month.

Meetings are held alternatively in Parkes and Forbes Shires, usually at our office at Kelly Reserve or at the Forbes Riverside Garden.

We are very conscious of the time that our volunteers contribute each month and try to make meetings accessible via zoom if required.

We have traditional Committee roles of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Public Officer and Secretary, a Parkes Shire Councillor and a Forbes Shire Councillor, plus three Committee members.

Let us know you are attending and a meeting package will be forwarded ahead of the AGM.

For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org, twitter, facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare