Landcarers would rarely act in isolation, and the award that I received honours not just my own work as a long-time supporter of Kosciuszko to Coast (K2C), a partnership of the Great Eastern Rangers initiative, but the collaboration epitomised by what K2C has achieved by bringing together this partnership. This is exemplified by the Mcleods Creek Nature Reserve Box-Gum Woodland restoration project, which brought together groups including the ACT Government’s Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, which provided cross-border funding, Greening Australia, which provided equipment, plants and planting expertise. And also the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and CSIRO, which provided expertise in restoration planning, and Friends of Grasslands, Greening Australia, K2C not to mention the local Gundaroo community who provided volunteers for the planting day.” – Rainer Rehwinkel

Ag scientist and long-time Landcare advocate, Rainer has spent the greater part of his professional career on data-gathering to support best approaches to biodiversity conservation and connectivity, in particular grasslands. Of his long-list of achievements, Rainer was instrumental in challenging EPBC legislation to protect Natural Temperate Grasslands (NTG) using facts and hard science to prosecute his arguments. He also discovered the NTG at Yass Gorge and was active in its recognition through Yass Council.