Climate change advocate and wholesale nursery manager named Rural Women's Award finalists

NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald today announced climate change advocate Louisa Kiely and advanced tree grower Tracey Knowland as finalists’ in the 2008 Rural Women’s Award.

Mrs Kiely is the convenor of the Carbon Coalition organisation and also runs a superfine wool enterprise at Goolma near Wellington, while Mrs Knowland operates a wholesale nursery at Bangalow specialising in native rainforest and coastal tolerant trees.

Mr Macdonald said both finalists’ had excellent vision for the further development of their award projects - and were keen to encourage other rural women develop their potential.

"It is always inspiring to learn about the initiatives and enterprises our rural women are managing - and these awards provide an opportunity to recognise their efforts," he said.

"Mrs Kiely’s focus in recent years has been on climate change and sustainable farming.

"Her project involves building and launching SoilCCentral.com - a website devoted to research and knowledge of carbon soil sequestration, including ideas and farming techniques to increase carbon in soils.

"She hopes to use her project to highlight the benefits of increasing carbon in our agricultural soils to help save family farms and the environment at large.

"Mrs Knowland’s nursery specialises in trialling and developing superior selections of small to medium Australian temperate/subtropical rainforest trees and coastal tolerant trees.

"Her target markets include the landscape and development industry throughout Australia, as well as potential export opportunities.

"Mrs Knowland proposes to use the bursary to fund her participation in a national nursery conference, tour of Victoria's largest wholesale production nurseries to look at sustainable growing practices, future growing trends in the face of climate change and water treatment methods to build on a water recycling project."

The winner will receive a $10,000 bursary for activities that build management, business or leadership skills, and help to strengthen rural industries and communities.

The NSW award is coordinated by the Department of Primary Industries’ Rural Women’s Network, and is supported by RIRDC, Department of Environment and Climate Change, NSW Premier’s Department Office for Women, Department of State and Regional Development, ABC Radio, Rural Press and Australian Women’s Weekly.