This year, the awards have strengthened the focus on regional projects by splitting the category that rewards community group contribution into metropolitan and regional.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder Urban Landcare Group (KBULG) won this year’s Community Achievement Regional Award.

“The KBULG has been working within the community to improve the environment in and around Kalgoorlie-Boulder for the past 35 years,” said Environment Minister Donna Faragher.

“The group was setting an outstanding example in regional and community environmental excellence.”

“Through public awareness, education and action, this community environmental group involves a majority of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community, including residents, businesses, industry, schools, community groups and visitors.”

The minister said KBULG provided meaningful, worthwhile community projects that rehabilitated and enhanced the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s environment while fostering community spirit.

An overall Highly Commended was awarded to Seadragonz for its environmentally-friendly and sustainable swim school. Seadragonz also took out the Small Business Leading by Example category.

“Seadragonz is leading the way for more environmental swim schools in Australia by re-using all waste waters and becoming ‘green’ while reducing environmental costs,” said Faragher.

The Department of Environment and Conservation received more than 100 entries in 11 categories.

Judges considered a wide range of projects which helped promote and maintain the highest standards in environmental care and biodiversity conservation.

Category winners in the 2009 WA Environment Awards included:

• Wesfarmers Premier Coal – The Ngalang Boodja Mine Lake Aquaculture Project
• City of Stirling – Water Smart Parks
• Seadragonz – environmentally-friendly and sustainable swim school
• Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) – Karakamia Woylie Project: providing a long-term haven for critically endangered species in WA
• Greening Australia, Alcoa of Australia and Harvey River Restoration Taskforce – Nell’s Block: restoring a landscape for wildlife on the Swan Coastal Plain Damplands
• Conservation Volunteers and Woodside Perth Coastal Conservation Program
• Perth Region NRM – Improving the Environmental Performance of Small Business
• Care for Hedland Environmental Association – Cash for Trash
• Environment House – Our $WaP (Saving Water and Power) Project
• Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.