New National First Nations conference supported by landcare to unlock agricultural and environmental benefits for future generations

Thursday 25 May 2023: The Biri Bulmba Budang National Custodians of Country Gathering (the Gathering) will take place in Cairns from August 21-25, 2023. The inaugural event, hosted by First Nations people and led by the Firesticks Alliance, will celebrate the diversity and richness of Aboriginal culture and knowledge, and explore how it can contribute to environmental restoration and community resilience.

This unique gathering between First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians will bring together people who are involved in agriculture, conservation and natural resource management to explore best practice and innovation; share practical information and stories; and create partnerships to support First Nations engagement, knowledge and practice.

“The Gathering aims to bring greater awareness and opportunity to broader Australia of the contribution of Indigenous knowledge,” shares Djabugay man Barry Hunter, Chairperson of the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation. “People will learn firsthand how Traditional ecological knowledge and governance can contribute solutions to today’s social and environmental concerns.”

Barry continues: “the Gathering promises to be an inspiring opportunity for people to come together to share knowledge and Culture.

The event will feature practical Masterclass sessions that include ethnobotany, Cultural Fire indicators and monitoring, tool making, art, dancing, weaving, and Indigenous knowledge of plants and agriculture. The symposia sessions will showcase Indigenous practitioners leading presentations and panel discussions on Indigenous knowledge and agriculture, Indigenous led research and partnerships, cultural and environmental markets, economic opportunities, water, and education and wellbeing.

Over 600 attendees are expected to attend including Traditional Owners and First Nations people involved in agriculture and natural resource management, corporate Australia, government agencies, and volunteer groups including landcare.

Landcare Australia Chair Doug Humann AM acknowledges that while many landcare groups have long worked hand-in-hand with Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations, Landcare Australia is looking forward to strengthening connections between First Nations people and landcare through supporting the National Custodians of Country Gathering.

“This important event will lead the way on how we can come together, walk together and work together with First Nations people to integrate Cultural land and sea management into landcare practices, conservation and sustainable agriculture” commented Doug.

“Beyond this, by integrating First Nations’ knowledge and management perspectives, our land and sea-scapes across Australia will benefit and our communities and future generations will be enriched,” he says.

Ticket sales for the Biri Bulmba Budang National Custodians of Country Gathering are now on sale. For more information, please click here.

Quick fact: The Biri Bulmba Budang National Custodians of Country Gathering is taking place from Monday 21 to Friday 25 August 2023 at Tjapukai (Djabugay) Cultural Park Cairns, Far North Queensland. Hosted by Wet Tropics Bama with Firesticks Alliance, the event is supported by Landcare Australia and the First Nations Landcare Working Group.

Junior Landcare grows collection of First Nations perspectives education resources with new Yarning Circle series

1 May 2023 | Ahead of Reconciliation Week and as part of Junior Landcare’s 25th anniversary, Junior Landcare today launched a new series of First Nations perspectives education resources, designed to help deepen children’s connection to Country, and enrich their learning experiences and wellbeing through the use of yarning circles.

The series of eight activities were developed for Landcare Australia’s Junior Landcare program by First Nations educator and proud Wiradjuri man, Adam Shipp, together with environmental educator and education specialist, Sam Harrison.

Freely available in the Junior Landcare Learning Centre, supported by Woolworths, the resources have been designed to support educators and those working with children to create and use yarning circles respectfully, regularly and in collaboration with First Nations people and organisations.

“Our old people would sit or stand bare foot on the earth, on the dirt, which itself provided a healing and safe environment,” shared Adam about the significance of yarning circles in First Nations culture. “We create these circles to be a safe place for all; a space where all people have a chance to yarn on equal terms. These are practices that can be adopted in our schools and early learning centres today, with many benefits – not just for learning outcomes but for children’s physical and mental wellbeing, too.”

From locating the best place to establish a yarning circle to everyday activities that can be done within a yarning circle, the resources are supported by a series of fun videos featuring Adam together with students, educators and First Nations community members to showcase living examples of yarning circles, as well as the connections that can be made with the outdoors and with First Nations people throughout the process of creating a circle.

“Yarning circles are spaces where kids can experience the richness of Indigenous culture and see it come alive; where it can be passed through generations from little ones right up to Year 12s, and even the broader community,” shared Richard Reid, Darumbal man and First Nations parent at one of the participating schools.

The new resources join 10 curriculum linked First Nations perspectives learning activities already available in the Junior Landcare Learning Centre, including Local Seasons: Exploring First Nations weather, Creating an Indigenous plant use garden, and Whose Country, exploring First Nations people’s languages map.

“We’re excited about these new activities designed to help bring First Nations perspectives into the home and classroom, shared Loretta Arrastia, Community Programs Manager – Woolworths Supermarkets. “Yarning circles are a wonderful opportunity for children to come together, reflect, share and learn.”

According to Dr Shane Norrish, Landcare Australia CEO: “We couldn’t be prouder to be expanding our collection of First Nations perspectives resources. By empowering educators, parents, carers, community groups and individuals – significantly children and young people who are the landcarers and leaders of the future – to develop a deeper understanding of First Nations practices and foster meaningful partnerships with Traditional Owners and First Nations people, our children will be better equipped to look after the land and their futures.”

To access Junior Landcare’s First Nations perspectives resources and new yarning circle activities, click here.

$1 million in grants available for Australian schools with Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program

February 8, 2023:

The latest round of the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program has officially opened, offering primary schools and early learning centres across Australia the chance to share in $1 million to help grow the next generation of environmental champions.

Woolworths and Landcare Australia are calling on all Aussie primary schools and early learning centres to apply for a grant of up to $1,000 to help them develop projects focused on sustainability and inspiring students to play an active role in the future of their natural environment. This could include growing veggie or bush tucker gardens, creating compost for school gardening beds, setting up nest boxes or creating habitats to protect native wildlife.

Since launching the program in 2018, the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program, in partnership with Landcare Australia, has supported over 3,814 school groups with more than $4 million in funding to help kids all across the country get hands-on with nature.

Through its Junior Landcare program, Landcare Australia has also worked closely with First Nations educator and Wiradjuri man Adam Shipp to develop environmental learning activities for educators and children to learn more about how they can have a connection to Country.

New activities are available online at Junior Landcare’s Learning Centre, ranging from exploring First Nations weather knowledge to creating an Indigenous plant use garden and exploring a First Nations peoples’ languages map.

Woolworths Group Chief Marketing Officer, Andrew Hicks, said: “The Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program is all about supporting fun and engaging learning experiences that can help younger generations connect with natural environments.

“Over the years, we’ve seen lots of creativity from schools and early learning centres looking to explore sustainability in action, and we can’t wait to see more of these ideas brought to life through this year’s program.

“We’re also excited about the new learning activities designed to help bring First Nations perspectives into the home and classroom. These activities are a great resource that highlight the invaluable perspectives and experiences of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on the journey to creating more sustainable experiences for a better tomorrow.”

Adam Shipp, First Nations educator with Landcare Australia, said: “As a proud Wiradjuri man, I believe it is extremely important that environmental based organisations recognise and work with First Nations groups.

“By teaching younger generations about traditional ways of caring for Country, we can deepen knowledge of and respect for First Nations culture and practices. I look forward to seeing how students and teachers use the new Junior Landcare resources.”

Landcare Australia CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, said: “Junior Landcare has always recognised the vital role children play in taking care of the natural environment and, thanks to the 2023 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program, we look forward to seeing even more children have the opportunity to take on this role.

“Moreover, as we continue to grow the number of First Nations perspectives resources on the Junior Landcare Learning Centre, we are thrilled to be able to support children and educators in building their knowledge of Traditional Land Management and Cultural Heritage when it comes to caring for our land and water.”

Applications for the 2023 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants are open now and close 17 March 2023. To find out more about the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants Program and to apply, visit juniorlandcare.org.au.

A guide of Top 10 Junior Landcare Projects is available here, with ideas to help bring environmental education and First Nations perspectives into your school or early learning centre.

– ENDS –

For media enquiries and interview requests, please contact:

Vanessa Chamoun, SOCIETY for Woolworths | [email protected] | 0432 400 617

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COASTCARE WEEK 2022 ENCOURAGES AUSTRALIANS TO ‘SUMMER UP WITH COASTCARE’

December 1:

Next week, Coastcarers will come together to celebrate their work restoring, enhancing and protecting our coastal and marine environments for 2022 Coastcare Week 2022 (December 5-11).

With a changing climate leading to sea level rise, warming ocean temperatures, ocean acidification and more extreme weather events, Coastcare Week gives Coastcarers the opportunity to showcase their increasingly important work, and encourage Australians from all walks to life to get involved in coastcare this summer.

This year Coastcare Week is being supported by renowned Australian street artist, freelance illustrator, muralist and designer Mulga (Joel Moore), whose iconic summer inspired artworks showcase Australia’s beach spirit. An avid beach-goer and surfer, Mulga said he was thrilled to throw his support behind the thousands of Coastcarers keeping our beaches, coastlines and marine environments clean and healthy.

“I’ve always had a connection to the beach, not just from surfing but because it’s where I really kicked off my art career; the beach is literally my favourite place,” said Mulga, whose first large-scale mural was painted at Bondi Beach in 2012.

“Australia has some of the best beaches and coastlines ever but sometimes us peeps need to get together to keep them looking snazzy, ’cause who wants to see garbage at the beach, not me that’s for sure.”

“It’s sweet to be able to support the awesome work of Coastcarers across Australia, and it’ll be great to see people getting out there and taking action this Coastcare Week.”

Throughout the week, Coastcarers will celebrate and share word of their numerous achievements including in dune protection, revegetation of native coastal environments, protection of endangered coastal species habitats, and much more.

Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish said he was excited to see the range of stories and events celebrating their successes, and hoped it would encourage others to join with them to take action for our coastal and marine environments.

“The intensifying impacts of climate change on our coastlines is making community stewardship of our natural and cultural marine and coastal environments increasingly important. Coastcare’s greatest asset has always been its people, and across Australia there are over 500 Coastcare groups made up of thousands of volunteers all putting into action long-term, practical solutions for environmental issues in their local area,” said Dr Norrish.
“Coastcare is so much more than taking action for our coastal and marine environments, however. It’s also about bringing people together, building resilience and working towards a common goal. With such a wide range of work going on across Australia, this is the perfect opportunity to shine a light on our Coastcare heroes, their outstanding community and environmental impacts, and inspire more people to get involved.”

Coastcare Week celebrations will kickstart the ‘Summer Up with Coastcare’ campaign – showcasing inspirational Coastcare groups as well as Coastcare events, such as community planting days and beach cleanups, being held throughout summer.

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“Unbeatable Impact”: Almost 66,000 Australians United For Environment Thanks to Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants

October 3:

Landcarers across Australia are celebrating their outstanding achievements for bushfire affected environments and communities following the completion of the landmark $14 million Landcare Led Recovery Grants Program.

Managed in partnership between Landcare Australia, the National Landcare Network and the peak Landcare State and Territory organisations, the program saw almost 66,000 Australians- including over 10,000 volunteers, working together to deliver 111 community-driven projects in bushfire affected areas across the east coast and South Australia.

With project successes ranging from Upper Snowy Landcare discovering the best eucalyptus seed sources for future bushfire recovery efforts through climate testing, to the South Australian Museum’s research data leading to the Kangaroo Island Assassin Spider being listed as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act, the program has had an overwhelmingly positive impact across some of Australia’s most heavily bushfire affected regions.

Landcare Australia CEO Dr Shane Norrish applauded the outstanding results, saying that it demonstrated the incredible power of landcare and its partners across the country.

“Forming effective partnerships is what landcare does best, and the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program really highlights our unbeatable impact when we unite to take action,” said Dr Norrish.

“By bringing together a diverse range of expertise and experience from multiple stakeholders, this program has delivered practical, innovative and science driven projects utilising cutting-edge technology including artificial intelligence, drone monitoring and DNA science.”

“This program has proved invaluable to bushfire recovery for countless species, environments and communities. I could not be more impressed and look forward to seeing what the partnerships established through this program continue to achieve in future.”

As part of the program, a joint study undertaken by University of Melbourne and Federation University into the social impacts of post-disaster environmental work indicated that landcare provided an opportunity to extend the reach of environmental recovery activities undertaken on public lands through their connections with landholders. Participants in the study identified the wide range of activities they had been involved in to support the recovery of the fire affected environment. This included monitoring fauna using motion sensor cameras and water sampling for eDNA, revegetating burnt areas, implementing pest control programs and providing appropriate supplementary food sources and shelter for native animals that had survived.

“Disaster recovery is often a long, complex and difficult process for those impacted. Our research found that community based environmentally focussed groups like landcare often embody evidence informed psychosocial support principles, such as helping people feel connected, hopeful and providing opportunities to actively participate in the recovery of the places they love,” said lead researcher Dr Kate Brady.

CEO of the National Landcare Network Jim Adams said that because of the positive community impact and scale of environmental recovery achieved, the program served as a testament of the strength of the community landcare movement.
“Our movement is driven the tens of thousands of landcarers across Australia who share their expertise and bring communities together to take action for their environments, and this program has really shown how effectively we can act at scale in disaster response and recovery,” said Mr Adams.

“The Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program showcases just how integral local landcare groups and volunteers are in delivering large-scale, nationwide projects and what can be achieved with additional support and funding.”

“The overwhelming success of these landcare-led projects shows the model is well placed to be scaled as required and tackle future disaster responses and deliver real action on the pressing climate and environmental challenges of our times,” said Mr Adams.

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