Bellingen Riverwatch receives national award
Bellingen Riverwatch, one of the largest citizen science water quality monitoring programs in NSW, and the largest citizen science macroinvertebrate monitoring program in Australia, recently received two national awards at the River Basin Management Society Awards Gala.
Amy Denshire, Bellingen Riverwatch Program Manager, OzGREEN, and Anna Juodvalkis, Partnerships Manager, OzGREEN, very excited to represent the Bellingen Riverwatch partners at the awards night and to receive recognition for the 5-year-long leading-edge citizen science program that operates in the Bellinger and Kalang catchments.
Bellingen Riverwatch, one of the largest citizen science water quality monitoring programs in NSW, and the largest citizen science macroinvertebrate monitoring program in Australia, recently received two National awards at the River Basin Management Society Awards Gala.
Competing with projects from all around Australia and capital cities, this impressive program from the small town in Bellingen won the people's choice for and was a finalist in the 'Involving Community in Waterway Management' category. Their people's choice category got 50% more votes than any other category, which indicates the high level of support this community has for the program.
This recognition helps to propel Bellingen Riverwatch forward.
“We aim to be an exemplar of best practice citizen science and are very much on the journey to becoming this. These awards help shine a light on the work we are doing - supporting the recovery of the critically endangered Bellinger River Snapping turtle and helping to protect our waterways - and strengthening our community while we do it!”- Amy Denshire, Bellingen Riverwatch Program Manager, OzGREEN
Bellingen Riverwatch’s water quality monitoring citizen science program sees 40 volunteers and 4 schools work together to test our rivers at 20 sites every month. Here, Andy Core, Teacher, Bellingen High School, demonstrates techniques to his students.
Bellingen Riverwatch sees more than sixty volunteers come together across two citizen science programs, to test our rivers for water quality and monitor macroinvertebrates (waterbugs).
The Bellingen Riverwatch partnership would like to thank the community for the support they have for this program, and would like to extend a massive congratulations to the incredible, dedicated Bellingen Riverwatch volunteers.
“We also host events to foster connection between volunteers, the community, and the environment. With the support of partners, the program is set to expand in 2023, with riverbank repair work at Gordonville Crossing, which our volunteers are very excited about!”
- Sam Daykin, Bellingen Riverwatch Coordinator, OzGREEN
Bellingen Riverwatch is set to launch a new riparian program arm in 2023, starting with a riparian restoration project at Gordonville Crossing. Here, volunteer, Toni, plants trees with her granddaughter at a Bellingen Riverwatch event at Thora.
Bellingen Riverwatch could not do this important work without the support of its partners and would like to thank the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, Bellingen Shire Council, Healthy North Coast, Vendart Diagnostics, NSW Waterwatch, Bellinger Landcare Inc, EnviroComm Connections and OzGREEN.
If you are interested in joining the Bellingen Riverwatch family of volunteers, please contact Sam on sam@ozgreen.org.au.