Labor Member Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes has today congratulated Benambra residents Lyn Coulston OAM and Alan Stephenson for being recognised in the 2015: Victorian Landcare Awards. Lyn has been honoured with the prestigious Joan Kirner Award that pays tribute to the significant contribution the Honourable Joan Kirner AC made in bringing communities together to tackle local environmental issues. It is thanks to her vision, her belief in community action and her early stewardship of Landcare, that it grew into the phenomenon of today. I congratulate Lyn on receiving this Award through her enormous contribution to the development and implementation of Landcare in our community. Alans award in the category of Australian Government in Sustainable Farm Practices is for his innovative and holistic approach to grazing rotation cycles. 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, 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. 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. 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.