Fresh faces for Community Engagement Network
Community representatives from across West Gippsland recently met to kick off the next three-year term of West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority’s (CMA) Community Engagement Network.
“The Community Engagement Network or CEN is where we let community members know what work we are doing and priorities we have and they, on behalf of the broader community, can provide valuable feedback on that work and other areas of community interest,” said CEO of the West Gippsland CMA, Martin Fuller.
Sixteen new and returning members representing a broad range of age, location and experience make up the network for 2024-2026. Marine science graduate Jessica Tong is one of them.
“It is amazing to be a part of an enthusiastic community group with a broad range of ages and expertise,” said Jess. “I look forward to learning more about the West Gippsland CMA and contributing to the community voice for environmental preservation.”
Returning member Dave Sutton was pleased to see a mix of equal gender representation across members. “It is wonderful to see some fresh faces to bring new ideas and perspectives to the group,” he said.
The latest cohort officially began their term with an induction session at the CMA’s Traralgon office to get to know one another and the CMA team. Cultural competence training led by Mandy Leggett, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Officer for West Gippsland CMA, was also a feature of the day.
Addition member forums throughout the year will provide an opportunity for the group to deep dive on topics of interest such as sustainable agriculture, citizen science, Landcare in West Gippsland and works on waterways.
Executive Manager – Catchment Planning and Delivery for West Gippsland CMA, Dan Garlick, sees the CEN as an important two-way information exchange between local communities and the CMA.
“Over the years there has been incredible input from this group along with advocacy back to the community. As we move into the next round of project funding and delivery, we’ll continue having these localised conversations with CEN members to make sure we get the best outcomes for the environment and the community,” concluded Dan.
The next meeting will be in July 2023.
