Labor Member Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes has today congratulated Eildon residents Rob Fallon and Tom Abbottsmith-Youl for being recognised in the 2015: Victorian Landcare Awards. The Victorian Landcare Awards are held every two years to celebrate the achievements of landcarers in Victoria. Its a welcome chance for us to say thank you to them, These awards are a rare opportunity to raise environmental awareness by shining a spotlight on the hard work of community-minded volunteers that benefits us all Ms Symes said. The Andrews Labor Government supports the Landcare Awards because they celebrate community-minded people who are undertaking projects across Victoria that have made significant contributions to the sustainable care of their local environments. Tom and Rob should be congratulated for delivering strong environmental outcomes to the Glenburn and Yarra Glen communities respectively. Rob has demonstrated outstanding achievements though the facilitation of more than 40 workshops on a variety of land management issues, establishing a volunteers program, linking local school groups with the Landcare groups, and laying the groundwork for many future projects, such as the Chum Creek waterway habitat project. Tom took out the award in the category of Australian Government Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practices (Goulburn Broken) in recognition of his use of nomadic chickens to scratch over and fertilise pastures thereby utilising an environmental, sustainable, and chemical-free practice to improve farm productivity. Next year Victoria will celebrate 30 years of Landcare, so it is great to have so many outstanding winners in the national category awards, who will be representing Victoria in the 2016 National Landcare Awards Ms Symes said The Labor Government is committed to strengthening and building Landcare to ensure it continues to deliver real, on the ground results and meets Victorias current and future environmental needs.