Commitment to environment earns Margot Australia Day honour

On behalf of the Central West Lachlan Landcare (CWLL) Committee I would like to acknowledge our Chair, Margot Jolly on receiving the Parkes Shire Environmental Citizen of the Year Award for 2026. Margot has demonstrated long-standing dedication to Landcare over the Parkes and Forbes Shires, Central West NSW and at the State level, in voluntary leadership roles. Her commitment to environmental stewardship has involved her roles as Chair of Central West Lachlan Landcare (CWLL) and Central West Region Landcare (CWRL). In this role, Margot has tirelessly driven community-led conservation efforts, galvanising local action to improve sustainable land management and restore natural ecosystems. She has also been actively involved in the Homegrown Parkes Committee, supporting the delivery of these events since 2024. Margot is the Central West Landcare representative on the NSW Landcare State Advisory Committee, ensuring that the Central West is represented on the State level. As a Committee member for over 15 years, Margot has seen Landcare change, with advances in technology, significantly changing the way that information is delivered and how funding is also delivered. Over this time period, CWLL have delivered projects in the Parkes and Forbes Shires and over the Central West of NSW that have contributed millions of dollars in on-ground works and educational opportunities and now employs three staff members working locally and regionally in the Central West. We have delivered several Green Army projects, National Tree Day events, The NSW Rural Women’s Gathering, Eco Day, Kindy Day, hosted the State Landcare and Local Land Services Conference, planted tens of thousands of trees and shrubs, provided educational opportunities for our communities and much more. Partnerships form a large part of delivering what we do through Landcare and establishing and maintaining those partnerships is an important part of the Committee’s role and particularly the Chair’s role. Whilst employees deliver the day to day functions and projects for Landcare, this is not possible without our volunteers who give up their time to support these roles, so this is also an opportunity to recognise our other amazing volunteers as well. I would also acknowledge our previous Chairperson, Ben Kerin, who was recognised as Trundle’s Citizen of the Year on Australia Day. We have benefited greatly from Ben’s contribution to CWLL over many years, as Deputy Chair and Chair and congratulate him on this worthy recognition. For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org, X, Facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare