Last call for volunteers as catchment crisis deepens
Following a disastrous report card and strong evidence that even more serious decline will occur as a result of the planned massive levels of development, the peak catchment organisation is calling for volunteers to come forward to fill the vacant Executive positions on LARC and to help organise activities and events to help improve our waterways. After years of operating on a shoestring budget, the current Executive will step down and not recontest these positions.
Most catchments in SEQ have local catchment officers that are fully-funded by their local governments and have budgets to implement on-the-ground projects and support local community action. In a catchment that is failing many would think that the government endorsed catchment group and community organisations up and down the catchment would be well-funded and supported in their efforts to restore the health of the catchment.
According to the SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnership over $300m is required to turn around the fate of the Logan-Albert catchment, however for the Logan-Albert catchment, things could not be further from the truth. LARC is run without government funding, by volunteers from key members groups across the catchment. This catchment has been consistently under funded for over two decades. Apart from a small-scale trial "Healthy Country" project, the key government departments have withdrawn from any direct supporting role in the catchment deferring their responsibilities to SEQ Catchments . LARC and many of its member organisations across the catchment have unfortunately experienced years of largely uncooperative behaviour and neglect from all levels of the government, including the regional body.
LARC have consistently lobbied for support to build capacity, raise awareness and develop a catchment care "ethos" amongst the community and its landholders and time and time again have been told that there are no funds for these types of projects in our catchment. LARC would like to note however, that there has been consistent annual support from Logan City and Scenic Rim Regional Councils, however this has been limited compared to the scale of what is truly needed across the catchment to have any sort of long term impact.
The 2009 LARC AGM will be held on Monday 23rd November 6:30 pm at the Beaudesert Golf Club. All welcome and light refreshments will be served. Also on the agenda will be a proposed constitutional amendment to enable any resident from the catchment to join as a full member of the catchment group. The meeting will also hear of details of new catchment wide projects proposed for the coming year should a new Executive be formed and funding secured for the projects.
If you think you would like to make a difference or would like to volunteer for the positions of President, Vice -President, Treasurer and Secretary you should contact the Secretary, Shirley Chamber on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0402 072 628
Andy Grodecki - President - Logan-Albert Rivers Catchment Association Inc Mobile 0411 361 044