Ella Maesepp
Katanning Landcare
“Living in a community like Katanning, that is so engaged in landcare and landcare is so entrenched in what we do, I am continually buoyed by the number of farmers that are tree planting. They’re wanting to fence off their remnant vegetation, they are actively increasing the amount of perennial pastures in their farm systems, they are talking about soil carbon, carbon sequestration into their soil.”
Ella Maesepp: Lake Ewlyamartup
Meet Ella Maesepp from Katanning Landcare, who helped to coordinate an enormous community landcare effort to bring Lake Ewlyamartup back from the brink of collapse.
The Wonderful Buzz of Katanning Landcare
Ella Maesepp from Katanning Landcare has played a pivotal role in enhancing sustainable land management since joining in 2006, being recognized with the ACM Landcare Community Group Award in 2021. At the intersection of three really distinct vegetation groups across the Shire, she emphasizes Katanning's unique ecological diversity, housing distinct vegetation types and endangered species like Carnaby's Cockatoos and Red-tailed Phascogales. The community has a strong commitment to Landcare, evidenced by a local levy supporting its initiatives for over two decades. While Katanning faces challenges such as erosion, salinity, and climate change, the community has adapted by increasing tree planting and embracing sustainable practices. Ella highlights a positive shift among farmers towards land stewardship, with annual plantings ranging from 100,000 to 250,000 trees. Despite the daunting impact of climate change, Ella remains hopeful, noting the proactive engagement of the community and their resilience in addressing environmental challenges. The future hinges on sustained efforts to adapt and protect the land and its ecosystems.
Ella Maesepp: Landcare in Katanning
Listen to Ella Maesepp from Katanning Landcare, one of Western Australia's most prominent and successful landcare organisations in a prosperous agricultural community in the heart of WA’s southern wheatbelt.