Award Nominee

The Lake Alexandrina Conservation Group was formed in 2005 to undertake a programme of environmental protection, restoration and enhancement. The Lake Alexandrina Reserve encompasses the area immediately adjacent to lakes Alexandrina and McGregor and is located west of Lake Tekapo in the Mackenzie Basin. The Reserve supports a range of nationally important birdlife, especially the Southern Crested Grebe, native lizard populations and native flora.

The Lake Alexandrina Conservation Trust is a group of people dedicated to develop public support and involvement in the maintenance and enhancement of the Lake Alexandrina Reserve and its surroundings. The aim of the Trust is to promote awareness of environmental issues in the reserve area, to undertake a programme of environmental restoration work and to train people to do the work in the reserve area. To do this the following tasks are undertaken - habitat restoration, weed removal (in particulare wilding pine and sweet briar), improving fish spawning habitat, undertaking bird surveys of the area and predator control.

The formation of the Trust has linked all interested reserve users together to improve and maintain the natural features of the reserve. For many years sweet briar has been spreading over the land surrounding Lake Alexandrina and in some areas the infestations had become very dense. These masses of briar restricted access to the shoreline and provided a refuge for pest predators.

Up until now, the work has been undertaken by volunteers during specific work days, by manually cutting infestations and treating the stumps with herbicide. At the same time, other weeds pecies within the area such as wilding pines are also dealt with. The Trust has decided to engage a contractor to spray the high density briar infestations and use volunteers to work in areas near the shore and with lower briar density levels. The Trust needs to raise $20,000 to cover the cost of the contractor.

The Lake Alexandrina Conservation Trust have shown great enthusiasm and committment and have made a great difference to the reserve area, which is significant because of its landscape values, the wildlife and the many recreational opportunities that it offers to visitors.