Farewell Carla
On a poignant note, Wheatbelt NRM is farewelling Carla Swift, our current Business Development Manager.
Carla’s work within and through Wheatbelt NRM has spanned several decades starting out in a Landcare role as an environmental science graduate in 1999 working throughout the Nungarin-Merredin district.
During this time in the eastern Wheatbelt Carla worked closely through then Avon Catchment Council, securing funding for a large number of projects including remnant vegetation fencing and buffers, revegetation of priority recharge areas and watercourses, perennial pasture systems, installation of contour farming systems to manage surface water, oil mallee plantings, and bringing farmer groups together with Integrated Catchment Planning.
After relocating to the Avon Valley in 2004 Carla was employed briefly by Wheatbelt NRM to support the region’s Community Landcare Officers through a paradigm shift in Landcare funding, and again in 2009-2010 as Marketing and Communications Officer, specifically on a Small Community Grants project.
Long-standing WNRM members may remember Carla from the Sustainable Agriculture and Capacity Building sub-committees during development of the inaugural 2005 ‘Avon River Basin Regional NRM Strategy’ and as author of the strategy’s initial Community Engagement Plan.
Other project roles specific to the Wheatbelt region included World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia’s Woodland Watch and the South-Western Australia Ecoregion Demonstration Area project.
These roles also worked closely with Wheatbelt NRM staff and another WWF officer, Mike Griffiths, who was housed within Wheatbelt NRM.
After working in agricultural education and workforce development at Muresk Institute from 2016 to 2021, and within the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s carbon farming program from 2021-2022 Carla re-joined Wheatbelt NRM in January 2023.
Her role within WNRM since 2023 has included building business foundations within the emerging carbon and natural capital markets and supporting employment opportunities for the Noongar Boodja Rangers team.
Carla’s work in this capacity has strengthened networks and initiated a project that will help farmers navigate the growing environmental markets sector.
As a member of Wheatbelt NRM’s Senior Management team Carla is well known for contributing big-picture strategy, joining the dots, mentoring staff, and working behind the scenes to keep departments running smoothly. In July 2024 Carla relocated to the south-west and is now living in Kaneang Country.
It is the beginning of a new era for Carla and after raising her two daughters in the Wheatbelt region and devoting much of her time to enjoying and nurturing its breathtaking landscapes it is time to take on a new role with South West NRM.
Carla will be continuing to advocate for opportunities for the NRM sector and will stay in touch with Wheatbelt NRM.
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Published eNews #402, May 2025