The Great Southern Forest, photo by Richard Green
The National Folk Festival in Canberra is underway and there is somewhat a South East take over happening with a bunch of artists from this side of the mountain performing.
People like Heath Cullen, Kate Burke, Mike Martin, Sam Martin, Stonewave Taiko and the Djaadjawan Dancers are all taking centre stage.
In the week’s leading up to the National, South East NSW provides a warm-up space to many of the performers booked to play in Canberra.
The Cobargo Folk Festival is one of those warm-up events and always makes the most of the international artists who fly in for the National – it’s often the case that Cobargo is the first gig in an Australian tour for musos from the UK, Europe and America.
Apart from music, folkies enjoy a chat and a lively speakers tents is part of every folk festival.
At Cobargo this year, festival goers heard of an ambitious idea to change the way forests in South East NSW are managed and used.
Stonewave Taiko by Ben Marden
The push to establish The Great Southern Forest aims to turn State Forests in the region into carbon sinks – creating jobs and economic opportunities through land management, restoration, and tourism.
Those driving the campaign see the end of the current Regional Forest Agreements in 2019 and 2021 as the chance to end native logging and move to a new economic model.
Dr Bronte Somerset, comes from a career in higher education, she has five children and 12 grand-children and is one of the advocates for The Great Southern Forest, she detailed the idea in a crowded speakers tent at the Cobargo Folk Festival.
Thanks to my partners in this podcast – Light to Light Camps, rolling out the red carpet on the 31 km track between Boyd’s Tower and Greencape Lighthouse south of Eden.
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Thanks for tuning in, see you out and about in South East NSW.
Cheers
Ian
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