• Landcare in Australia June 2020 from Doug Humann
  Chair, Landcare Australia
• An update for Landcarers from Landcare Australia’s CEO
  Dr Shane Norrish

Landcare in Australia June 2020

Doug Humann | Chair | Landcare Australia

Landcare in Australia and a cohesive landcare movement is now more important than ever to the future of our land, water and people.

Drought, bushfires and then Covid-19 have made more difficult and critical our task of restoring health to our landscape and providing for a long term sustainable future, integrating the best of our scientific, natural and cultural heritage knowledge and skills. But it has also given us an opportunity to put our collective good will and initiative to the task.

For over 30 years Landcare Australia has been working to harness that good will and we have been buoyed by the enthusiasm and trust that institutions, including governments, corporations, and other “for purpose” charitable groups, are putting in Landcare Australia and our people. Collectively we are part of the solution.

At the end of 2019 Landcare Australia joined a collaboration of other land management stewards in formally establishing the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA), where I now sit on the Board of Directors representing Landcare Australia. Landcare Australia, ALCA and more than 70 other organisations including farming and landcare groups are currently urging the Australian Government to create a stimulus package to restore health to our landscape. In April 2020 I had published a call to action for this initiative in dozens of regional newspapers throughout Australia; the response has been overwhelming.

This is why I joined the Landcare movement. To be part of a new and inclusive chapter for Landcare that has at its core a collaborative community filled with optimism and mutual support that produces many benefits for landcarers.

Landcare Australia’s CEO, Dr Shane Norrish, writes of this below.

Together with my fellow directors and staff, we share the disappointment that the one unified voice for Landcare has not yet eventuated, but that doesn’t stop our commitment to unify and help build the landcare movement regardless. We can write of the things we are not, but I prefer the narrative of writing of who we are and what we believe and seek. Landcare Australia has a particular role in the landcare community and particular unique capabilities in promoting Landcare and its partners for the benefit of all landcarers. Our current large grants round with WIRES is but one example of this and of our support for fire ravaged landcare communities.

Landcare Australia will do more, and we look forward to doing it together, and hearing of your suggestions and concerns and building a pathway to the future – together.

For more information on Landcare Australia, who we are, and what we have done and what we hope to achieve please use the links here and don’t hesitate to contact me directly [email protected] or contact our team [email protected] if you have any questions.

In the meantime, I’m sure I speak for all landcarers in looking forward to removing the shackles of the necessary Covid-19 response and getting out on the ground to meet the task at hand.

Doug Humann
Chair
Landcare Australia

An update for Landcarers from Landcare Australia’s CEO
Dr Shane Norrish | CEO | Landcare Australia

It’s been more than three decades since Landcare began and we have much to be proud of!

I often wonder whether, when our Prime Minister at the time, the Hon. Bob Hawke AC, first backed Landcare and created Landcare Australia in 1989, did he truly contemplate such a diverse and impactful volunteer movement? Did he contemplate the full extent of involvement by farmers, landholders and communities who have come together across Australia to protect and restore our land and unique environment? Did he contemplate a movement that embraces the practices of indigenous Australians and engages the next generation of Junior Landcarers?

Back then, Bob Hawke was amazed by the outstanding achievements of the early Landcarers, and he championed Landcare and Landcare Australia all his life.

As a young sustainable farming agronomist, I remember a Brisbane meeting decades ago when a participant commented on Landcare’s massive responsibility and the extraordinary trust Australia placed in Landcare. That trust is respected by all Landcarers and the Landcare Australia team, who passionately protect and promote Landcare’s profile and reputation, because it represents the combined efforts of generations of Landcarers.

I’m proud to lead an organisation that has supported community Landcarers and their groups to become the most highly recognised community-based environmental movement in Australia. The Australian Landcare model is so successful that it has been adopted by 20 other countries.

In earlier years Australia imported rabbits, blackberries, foxes, lantana, and cane toads. And now we have exported Landcare, because it works exceptionally well. Importantly, when that success is boosted by appropriate funding and support of local people, communities quickly work out how to get things done on the ground and multiply returns from that funding many times over. If Landcare hadn’t been around for more than 30 years, what would Australia look like now?

In the last three decades we’ve achieved a great deal of good work. Yet there is much more to do. We are all confronting the impacts of a changing climate, biodiversity loss, droughts and of course, devastating bushfires. I appeal to all who value Landcare to work together, to work with us, so we can further build Landcare’s success. We need Landcare now more than ever.

Over the years, Landcare Australia has provided many millions of dollars in support and promotion to Landcare groups and the Landcare community. We have funded many thousands of community grass-roots projects, and advocated the importance of Landcare to successive Federal and State Governments, business, industry, and international agencies.

We are continuing to get on with supporting the Landcare community and the protection and restoration of natural assets. We have been consulting the Landcare community, Government agencies, researchers and other NGOs to increase the impact of grants funding, including those supporting bushfire recovery. In recent weeks, we have been able to fund over 70 projects with Landcare and other community groups in bushfire affected areas. A good result, but we must do more.

I remain convinced that a strong and united national voice is the best outcome for Landcare. During our work to unify Landcare at the national level, we looked at ourselves and the National Landcare Network and understood that Landcare is much bigger than what is represented by our two organisations. Our Board, staff and other stakeholders are committed to supporting an inclusive Landcare movement, which reflects our vision of all Australians actively caring for our unique land and water assets.

We welcome working with the Landcare peak organisations, networks, and groups in each state and territory, youth networks, Indigenous organisations, environmental NGOs, farming organisations and the vast range of other organisations, groups and individuals involved in Landcare, just as we have always done.

We will continue to work hard supporting those Landcarers, wherever we can.

That’s our role, that’s one of the reasons why we were created by Bob Hawke 31 years ago.

Dr Shane Norrish
CEO
Landcare Australia

Imagine if there was a way of bringing the tens of thousands of people involved in Landcare across the country together to collaborate and connect – anytime, anywhere. Imagine a vibrant online community developed specifically for the people who care for our land and water – a place where you can connect with like-minded people, get involved in discussions or ask questions. Landcarer is a place where you can connect with people who share your passion.

Rohan Antao is the Innovation and Technology Manager at Landcare Australia, and this is exactly what he imagined. Rohan lives and breathes digital technology, and believes that it can bring people closer together and make their lives easier.

“I had a vision of creating a thriving and connected online community for the Landcare movement – and that’s where Landcarer came from,” he explains.

“It’s all about community and collaboration, and open to anyone involved with Landcare, Bushcare, Friends of, Coastcare, Swampcare, Dunecare, and any other environmental community group. You can register at www.landcarer.com.au, and collaborate with me on the platform’s ongoing development.”

Once signed up to Landcarer, users can set up a community group, share stories or events, connect with others, or check out a webinar or podcast. You can even manage your group membership renewal online through Landcarer.

“The development of Landcarer is ongoing. I’d really love to hear from groups about what challenges they face in their day-to-day operations, because there could easily be online solutions I could develop to help overcome them,” Rohan adds.

“I want to work with groups on the ground to make sure that Landcarer is delivering a set of digital tools that are valuable, and can save a group either time or money, or both!”

Landcarer is a place where you can connect with people who share your passion, and while you’re there you can let Rohan know what you’d like to see on the platform in the future.

Check out Landcarer at www.landcarer.com.au. If you have any feedback on the platform or would like to organise a training workshop on Landcarer for your group, Rohan can be contacted at [email protected].

Representatives of the National Landcare Network (NLN) and Landcare Australia (LA) met in Sydney on 13 November 2019 to further conversations that have been taking place since early 2017 about a creating new single national Landcare organisation.

Chairman of the National Landcare Network, Patrick O’Connor with NLN directors, Stephanie Cameron (NSW), Geoff Elliot (Qld), and Jim Adams (CEO) joined Landcare Australia Chair, Doug Humann and directors, Jan Davis and Rachel Gatehouse with Shane Norrish (CEO).

Importantly, the meeting reaffirmed the intent of each party to achieve a single voice for Landcare and to modify the existing Landcare Australia Constitution as the basis for doing this. 

Whilst it was agreed that this should not be rushed, it was also agreed that momentum should be maintained and that the parties would work towards 1 July 2020 as the date for the first meeting of a newly constituted Board of Landcare Australia under a new Constitution which recognises the membership and role of the NLN and state and territory organisations.

All parties recognised that Australia needs the Landcare movement more than ever, and the new organisation should support the movement to grow and develop stronger capacity to tackle pressing environmental and resource management issues into the future.

It was also agreed that there is an important place and need for additional members in the new entity.  Although this will be a provision of the Constitution, the new entity will initially focus on establishing and embedding the existing members, their operating capability and a new culture.  New members would naturally be representative of the Landcare movement and be organisations that reflect the Landcare movement at an international or national level.  It is anticipated that local and regional organisations would more appropriately become members of their respective state and territory organisation.

Working back from the proposed date of the first meeting of a new Board on 1 July 2020, the first activity which the parties intend is to draft a vision and intent document, alongside a values statement and transition plan.  Much of this work has already been commenced and discussed.

It was also agreed to hold a meeting of state and territory CEOs (or equivalent) together with Patrick, Doug, Jim and Shane, tentatively scheduled for 15 February 2020, to discuss operational issues connected with a new entity.  This would look at the opportunities for state and territory organisations under these new arrangements and how all the parties would “mesh” in their activities for the benefit of the entire Landcare movement.

Regular joint communications such as this to STOs and the wider community providing updates on progress are also intended.

Doug Humann AM                                                                                Patrick O’Connor

Chairman | Landcare Australia                                                           Chairman | National Landcare Network

Vale The Hon. Bob Hawke AC

On behalf of the Landcare community, Landcare Australia and the National Landcare Network would like to acknowledge the vision of the late Bob Hawke for committing the Australian Government to support ‘Landcare’.

The name ‘Landcare’ evolved in Victoria through an initiative of Joan Kirner, (then Minister for Conservation, Forests and Lands) and Heather Mitchell, (then President of the Victorian Farmers Federation).

In 1989 the national Landcare movement officially began with Rick Farley of the National Farmers Federation and Phillip Toyne of the Australian Conservation Foundation, successfully encouraging the Hawke Government to commit to the emerging movement.

Landcare grew into a national programme in July 1989 when the Australian Government, with bipartisan support, announced that 1990 would be the Year of Landcare, and the 1990s the Decade of Landcare. 1989 was also the year that the not-for-profit organisation Landcare Australia was formed.

In his speech to launch the Decade of Landcare, Bob Hawke spoke about the importance of co-operation to care for the land.

“The degradation of our environment is not simply a local problem, nor a problem for one state or another, nor for the Commonwealth alone. Rather, the damage being done to our environment is a problem for us all – and not just government- but for of us individually and together.

Over these 30 years, Landcare has continued to play a leading role in managing sustainable agricultural practices, environmental protection, and conservation of land, waterways, coasts, biodiversity and landscapes.

Bob Hawke has championed Landcare since its inception.

His legacy to protect the environment, is that Landcare is now one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia with thousands of people and countless communities working together to solve local environmental issues that benefit all Australians.

Sydney – 30 April 2019 – Landcare Australia is launching Gallagher Landcare Fencing Grants.

The funding Gallagher is providing for these grants includes a combination of in-kind fencing and monetary support. Eligible applicants throughout Australia are invited to apply for projects that align with improved grazing management and/or conservation.

Eligible applicants for the Gallagher Landcare Fencing Grants are invited to apply for an individual fencing project grant for up to $8,000 (ex-GST) including fencing materials – up to 12 grants are planned for 2019. Grants are open to Landcare, Coastcare and Junior Landcare groups; individual landholders, farmers and graziers and volunteer-based community groups.

Grant recipients will undertake fencing projects, using Gallagher products. All projects must show tangible environmental or sustainable agriculture outcomes.

Shane Norrish, Landcare Australia CEO, said, “We are delighted that by funding these grants, Gallagher is extending its partnership with Landcare Australia and providing much needed financial and product support to conservation fencing and grazing management projects.”

Gallagher Landcare Fencing Grant applications are open until Friday, 31 May for projects that align with one or both of the below priority areas:

•  Grazing management: Electric fencing for pasture management techniques using permanent or portable systems to subdivide paddocks for more effective grazing, maintaining groundcover and keeping the pasture fresh, high energy and palatable which ultimately leads to increased milk and meat production, and stabilises soils.
• Conservation fencing: Installing conservation fencing to help exclude threats to valuable native plants and animals, such as: browsing or trampling by herbivores (including stock, rabbits, deer or kangaroos) and preventing damage from people.

Malcolm Linn, Gallagher Australia General Manager, said “After a successful partnership at last year’s National Landcare Conference we’re excited to broaden our support with Landcare Australia throughout 2019 and beyond. This year’s Gallagher Landcare Fencing Grants is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase – through our people and products – our commitment to grazing management, conservation, feral fencing and assisting Australia’s Landcare community.

Landcare Australia began its partnership with Gallagher in 2018 when the company was a sponsor at the 2018 National Landcare Conference and provided a range of in-kind Gallagher Electric Fencing products to support several Landcare Group projects nationally.

To learn more about the Gallagher Landcare Fencing Grants and how to apply, visit http://landcareaustralia.org.au/gallaghergrants