Land Leaders (Yr 10+)

Dates: 25/03/2022 – 27/03/2022

Land Leaders is a leadership development and extension camp for young people in Yr 10 -12 on the Far South Coast of NSW. Early tertiary ages are also accepted to the program with a current volunteer working with children check.

Land Leaders is particularly targeted towards fire-affected students who are studying Agriculture, Geography, Earth and Environmental Science or related sciences, and those interested in learning more about designing for fire-retardancy, assessing fuel loads and fire protection strategies (Bega Valley Shire students will have priority – 18 places available).

Land Leaders pulls together scientific and community knowledge developed at the Crossing through the formation of the Badja Edge Fire Roads Groups. Young people who attend the Land Leaders camp will leave with new eyes for the natural environment of the Far South Coast, a greater understanding of the role fire plays in the ecosystem, and a deeper understanding of the myriad ways human landscapes can be designed for fire-retardance.

The Camp starts 5pm, Friday March 25th at Greendale Farm at the end of Green Tyrells Rd in Coolagolite. Friday night is a tent camp, Saturday night students stay in a train carriage bunkhouse. On Sunday the group returns by canoe to Bermagui for a 1.30pm finish at the Bermagui bridge boat ramp.

The camp starts on Greendale dairy farm with an evening bushwalk to a tent camp and a night of stories by the campfire. From the campsite the next morning we will walk to The Crossing via the edge of the Badja Fire. On the way we will look at how the fire affected ecosystem is recovering. This will also include time to look at fire-retardant plants which coped well with the blaze. At The Crossing we will look at design for sustainability, fire preparedness and protection and add to the fire-retardant shelterbelts being planted at The Crossing to slow fire winds and retard ember spread.

Full scholarship support to attend is provided by the Bega Valley Shire Community Fund and the Cobargo Community Bushfire Relief Fund.  Contact josh@thecrossingland.org.au with any questions you may have.  Students are asked to bring an aerial photo from google earth of their own place or their nearest showground or recreation area to experiment with their fire retardant design ideas based on what they have seen at the Crossing and elsewhere.

Since July 2020 The Crossing has been working with support from the Bermagui RFS and SES to facilitate fire road group discussions. Many experiences have been shared at these gatherings and many fire preparedness actions and design ideas have come from the people who have attended. This workshop builds on those learnings as well as research into long term wind data in the Bega Valley Shire, Australian and international shelterbelt design and Australian fire retardant plant information.

Inclusions
All meals provided.

Venue Location
The Crossing Land Education Trust, 392 Nutleys Ck Rd Bermagui
See our What to Bring list on the Program Forms page