The following item is taken from media releases distributed via fax this morning.

According to Chair of Land & Water Australia Bobbie Brazil, the Community Fellowship Program is designed to help these inspirational people share their stories, to celebrate their achievements and to help build their support networks.

The Program, now in its fourth year, provides grants of up to $15,000 to help people who have an outstanding track record in managing land, water and vegetation, or in mobilising the community, to tell their stories to inspire other people. Past Fellows have produced websites, written books, created CD-ROMs, spoken at conferences, workshops and seminars, and even written and performed songs.

'This is a non-academic award which recognises that regular people, farmers, landcare workers and community volunteers, achieve extraordinary things through patience, practice and hard work,' Mrs Brazil said.

'Driven by the strength of their convictions and sometimes at odds with the wisdom of the day, to date often their only reward has been the satisfaction of a job well done.

'Undoubtedly, time will reveal just what a debt we owe to these fantastic people who show us that individuals can make a difference.'

In previous years the Community Fellowships Program has uncovered some incredible visionaries such as John Ive and family, whose work on their New South Wales Southern Tablelands grazing property was recently recognised with honours in two categories at the United Nations World Environment Day Awards. The Ive family is also in the running for a national Landcare Award later this year, and they have recently been nominated for the Weekly Times newspaper Farmer of the Year Award.

Past Community Fellowships have been awarded in every State. A summary of each past fellow and their project is available on the Community Fellows page of this website. Alternatively, you can contact Tim Lester, 02 6263 6021, 0438 925 146 or by email tim.lester@lwa.gov.au.