Skip to main content

Regional Extra 170822

Page 1

north east regional extra | August 17 - 23, 2022

nemedia.com.au

1.

August 17 - 23, 2022

Superhero of the forest By BELINDA HARRISON ◆ REVOLUTIONARY: Tony Rinaudo working with World Vision on Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration practices. PHOTO: ISCAST

IF you have seen shoots sprouting from the trunk of a eucalyptus tree after a fire, or from a stump after it has been cut down, then you have witnessed a key ingredient utilised by farmers to practice Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration. The concept was developed by one of ‘our own’ from Myrtleford, although now that he has spent more years away from his birthplace than he was here, the link may have been forgotten by many. Tony Rinaudo grew up in Myrtleford and developed a passion for geography and for the natural environment. He studied Rural Science at Armidale, New South Wales, 700 kilometres from home and struggled to fit in socially and cope with the disciplines of studying, however he found solace in the bible and a copy of ‘I Planted Trees’ by international campaigner, Richard B. Baker. In Armidale, Tony met his future wife - Liz - who was taking the same course and had the same sense of calling as Tony. After marrying and working locally, Tony and Liz applied to Serving in Mission (SIM). The couple, along with their newborn son, were soon off to a new life in Niger where they learnt to speak the local language (Hausa) and Tony oversaw a preparatory bible school and managed an orchard, nursery and dairy. “I also supervised a Canadian Government funded reforestation program started by SIM missionaries following severe famine in Niger in the early 1970s,” Tony said. “The SIM project manager could see that ongoing deforestation would make drought and famine more likely in the future and asked the donor for permission to use unspent funds to establish tree nurseries.” Most farmers in Niger viewed trees on farmland as weeds which needed to be eliminated because they competed with food crops for nutrition. Extreme poverty resulted in more trees being cut down to earn income from the sale of firewood.

Continued page 6

YOUR GARDEN EN

ANIMAL CARE

WINE TALK

YOUR HEALTH

BOOK NOOK

with HELEN

with JAX

with ANITA

with DR. KIM

THE CHAMP AHN DO

Business Accounts Community-focused banking that supports your success Visit bankwaw.com.au for full terms and conditions. BankWAW is the registered business name held by WAW Credit Union Co-Operative Ltd.

bankwaw.com.au


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Regional Extra 170822 by Provincial Press Group - Issuu