Armidale Regional Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Southern New England Landcare Ltd (SNEL). The recommendation was adopted at Council’s ordinary meeting of 1 March.

“For many years Council has supported SNEL’s Armidale Urban Planting Maintenance Project and the Malpas Catchment Project,” said Council Administrator Dr Tiley.

“The Memorandum of Understanding commits to a continuation of the funding towards these programs for a period up until at least the 2018/2019 financial year. It also includes financial support of the SNEL Community Resource Centre.”

The Armidale Urban Planting Maintenance program is primarily aimed at maintaining the healthy condition of various biodiversity sites in Armidale. At the same time, it engages with a broad cross-section of the Armidale Community as volunteers and raises community awareness of how biodiversity is pivotal in maintaining ecosystem function and health.

Since 1998 the Malpas Catchment Project has delivered activities and works to improve quality in the Malpas and Guyra Dams, and the MacLeay Catchment. It has included the provision of Council funding to SNEL for the employment of a part time Malpas Catchment Officer. The project has improved water quality, educated school aged children about water quality monitoring and offered community activities to promote the importance of wetland and riparian management and rehabilitation, and to support healthy fish habitat. All of these activities ultimately contribute to reducing sediment input into the waterways of the Malpas Catchment and Council water storages.

SNEL is an Armidale based not-for-profit community network that leads, connects and enables landcare activities in the Southern New England Region region by harnessing the power of community.