WOMEN of Millmerran are rallying together to conserve their environment almost one month on from the devastating floods which swept across parts of Queensland during ex-cyclone Oswald.
Local Landcare Group co-ordinator Rebecca Kirby leads the charge with Naturally Resourceful, a course aimed specifically at women who want to take more of a leadership role in conservation in their community.
"We were hit pretty badly during the 2011 floods and have also felt the affects of the extreme weather last month," Rebecca said.
"This course isn't just about improving our community through hands-on work, but about coming together as women and having a bit of fun as well as making it an educational experience.
The series of four workshops will focus on natural resource management including vegetation and biodiversity, weed and pest management and soil conservation.
"I love photography so I was also able to add wildlife identification to the course and we'll be taking pictures of native animals and identifying them through our photos.
"I hope the course can provide a pathway for women to take leadership responsibilities within the natural resource management field, as well as within social, production and political groups and committees," Rebecca said, adding it was also a great opportunity for participants to take action towards improving the local environment.
"I'm hoping the women who get involved can use the time to form friendships as well as have a bit of fun."
Growing up on a farm in Pittsworth and now sharing the responsibility of a small commercial cattle operation, Rebecca says she often comes into contact with people who have little firsthand experience of the bush.
"People come here from the city who have had their heads inside textbooks all their lives and they think they can tell us to plant a few trees and everything will be okay, but conservation doesn't work like that."
"I think it would be irresponsible of me to work in this kind of job without fully understanding or having experience in agricultural production because environment and farming go hand in hand.
"You can't have one without the other."
Covering the Millmerran and Cecil Plains districts, Rebecca said the biggest problem post-floods is follow-up care.
"There are a lot of farmers around that have lost their topsoil and they don't know where to go or what the next step is.
"If people are struggling with gully erosion and they don't plant the seed, they don't get the ground cover and the next time it rains or the water rises, it all gets washed away and they're left wondering why.
"It's a huge mistake and it can be avoided so easily."
Rebecca hopes that workshops, including Naturally Resourceful, will help with strategies to repair flood erosion and get farms back on track after such devastation.
"Losing your topsoil can ruin a farmer's livelihood and that's what I'm here for, to discuss strategies and work with landholders to get their business back.
"After the 2011 floods, I worked with 15 farmers on the Western Creek Subcatchment Plan, which is an ongoing project focusing on problems such as river fencing, weed management and erosion control.
"People don't realise it's the little things that can make such a big difference," Rebecca said, adding that achieving small conservation goals can lead to bigger, long-term environmental outcomes.
"If you're passionate about something and you set your heart on it, then you can achieve it.
"I encourage women of all ages and backgrounds to come along and help drive the future of the Millmerran community and our natural resources."
