Expo engaging environmental activities

THE region’s Landcare and environmental organisations will be coming together this month to showcase their offerings to the community.

The event, called the Caring for Nature Expo, is set to take place on Sunday, 11 September at the Earth Ed Centre.

Hosted by the Environmental Volunteers and Agency Network’s Central Western Victoria branch and the Victorian Environmental Friends Network, organiser Cherie Draper said the expo will highlight green groups in the region and beyond.

“We’ve got some local volunteer organisations that people can engage with, some Landcare groups and water management agencies, regional western Victorian and statewide groups,” she said.

“We’ll have a range of presentations to make people more aware of local issues and how they can get involved in caring for nature.”

The expo will run from 10am to 3pm, with stalls, presentations and hands-on activities from more than 35 organisations, about 25 of which will be local.

Ms Draper said a key goal of the expo is to get young attendees interested in order to “re-energise” some of the groups.

“We’re particularly aiming for students and younger people so they can understand the opportunities and be aware of the kinds of roles they might be able to play with these groups,” she said.

“Some of these groups consist of mainly older members who might struggle to perform more intensive tasks, so recruiting younger people will help bring new energy to the environmental care space.

“Whether that’s planting habitats and caring for nature from their backyard or through volunteering with different organisations or career pathways, we want to facilitate that.”

Entry will cost a gold coin donation, and proceeds will go towards VEFN in funding priority projects for their associated environmental groups.