RMIT University Lecturer and Research Fellow Dr Mittul Vahanvati joined the Hills Creative Alliance Community Focus Friday session on Friday 5 August to talk about her work developing a Resilience Action Plan in the Tarnagulla community in Central Victoria.
This work was funded by the Victorian Centre for Climate Change Innovation (VCCCI) which funds communities to become leaders in the development of innovative solutions to the challenges of climate change.
Dr Mittul Vahanvati’s research focuses on resilience to disasters and climate change and she has worked with regional and rural communities in Victoria to co-produce their own climate resilience action plan.
Liz Millman, secretary of the Hills Creative Alliance, said Dr Vahanvati discussed how creating a Resilience Action Plan in Tarnagulla brought the local community together with other local agencies to provide solutions the area may face in the face of climate change.
“Dr Vahvanvati explained the processes that were undertaken to increase awareness, trust and engagement of the community, to build on the strengths and challenges faced, and then how they developed a Resilience Action Plan,” Liz said.
“This approach is proving successful and was interesting to see how communities can come together to address challenges.”
On Friday 12 August, tree specialist Dr Gregory Moore from the University of Melbourne will join the Community Focus Friday Zoom session to talk about what Liz called ‘Big Trees and the Winds of Change.’
David Ferrier, founder of ’Treasuring our Trees’ who trained as an arborist with Dr Moore, will also share news about an innovative project which aims to make the most out of the fallen timber in the Hills after the June 2021 storm and educate people about timber’s importance.
‘Treasuring our Trees’ has now gained funding to work with local Primary Schools and community groups in the Hills, working alongside ‘Habitat for Humanity.’
For more information on joining the Zoom session, or if you want to get involved in the Hills Creative Alliance community initiatives, check www.hillscreativealliance.com or contact HCA Secretary Liz Millman on 0412970050.
