Landcarer: a social network with a purpose

By Manjari Fergusson

Landcarer is an innovative digital platform helping to make a difference.

Attracting and engaging the next generation to care for the land has been made easier with the creation of an innovative digital platform: Landcarer.

Several months ago, Landcare Australia embarked on a journey to address a few challenges faced by the Landcare community, and in doing so, help usher the community into the digital age.

Imagine a central repository of Landcare-related data – that’s Landcarer.

Stakeholders can engage with the platform by utilising different tools, including a databank, project management, group management, eLearning, stories, events, polls, chat, and discussion forums.

Essentially, it is an all-in-one tool built to empower the Landcare community and address some of its challenges.

According to Landcare Australia chief executive officer Dr Shane Norrish every Landcarer deserves the tools to help their efforts in making a positive difference.

“Given the current success of social networks, we hope to attract and engage the next generation of Landcarers through this platform, encouraging them to step up and get involved with Landcare now and in the future,” he said.

The platform allows for social networking, with users connecting, communicating, collaborating, and promoting their activities to aid the Landcare movement’s important work.

Stakeholders can connect and engage with each other at a regional, state and national level, and create connections based on shared interests such as biosecurity risks, sustainable farming, and habitat restoration.

A key planned feature slated to be released in 2019 is the Biosecurity Identification and Alert system.

Through the platform, Landcarers who are active on ground can identify biosecurity risks and provide instant notifications and alerts to the community and authorities.

The platform aims to collaborate with research organisations and integrate other existing biosecurity tools into the platform.

Extending the reach of tools that currently exist and providing education and information, Landcarer is updated in real-time and through continuous engagement, making the platform smarter and more robust with each and every interaction.