The individual award was part of the Champions of NSW Landcare initiative.

Mr Webster has been a champion of the Yass River and its habitat for more than two decades.

He was acknowledged for his commitment and energy to improve fish habitat in the Yass River, inspiring a collaboration with Yass Landcare Group, Yass Valley Council, Greening Australia and Rivers of Carbon and the Yass Soldiers Fishing club and Acclimatization Society.

“I’m very happy to have received it and I wasn’t expecting it. Our secretary at Yass Landcare put the nomination in and I found out about it only when they asked me to go to Albury,” Mr Webster said.

“I’m very humble by it,” he said.

Mr Webster was joined by other Landcare winners from the region, including Goulburn's FROGS Landcare.

They took out the Fairfax Landcare Community Group award, which is made to an outstanding community group that is working towards sustainable land use and/or is undertaking on-ground action to protect, enhance or restore an area on behalf of the community.

Crookwell potatoe farmer Garry Kadwell won the Australian Government Innovation in Agriculture and Land Management Award.

Garry's property, Rosedale, is a model for balancing conservation and productivity. David Marsh from Boorowa secured the Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award.

Rob Dulhunty, chair of Landcare NSW, said the awards “show how land carers across NSW are using their skill, ingenuity and commitment to protect the environment and fundamentally change the way we view and use the natural resources that sustain us”.

“The awards show landcare’s unique strength in achieving innovation and collaboration.  I warmly congratulate all winners and nominees,” Mr Dulhunty said.

The NSW Landcare Awards are supported by the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, NSW Government, Landcare NSW and Landcare Australia.