Landcare Australia facts for kids
Landcare Australia is a special group of volunteers across Australia. They work together to help fix and protect our natural environment. When Landcare first started, it mainly focused on helping farmers improve their land and the nature around it. The idea was for farmers, nature lovers, and scientists to team up and make both farms and wild places healthier.
Over the years, Landcare Australia has grown a lot from its small beginnings in the 1980s. Now, Landcare groups also work in towns and cities, looking after parks, waterways, and beaches. For example, there are groups like Coastcare for beaches and "Junior Landcare" for younger people. These groups are different from "Caring for Country" projects, which involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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How Landcare Started
The idea behind Landcare is to bring people together who share a problem, especially if they live in the same "catchment" area. A catchment is a place where all the water flows to one common spot, like a river or lake. By working together in these areas, people can fix problems like damaged land. Many of the first groups aimed to get rid of rabbits or solve other issues on farms. Now, Landcare helps with all sorts of things, from farming to improving life in the countryside and building stronger communities.
Early Days in Victoria
The Landcare movement began in Victoria, Australia, in 1986. A group of farmers near St Arnaud formed the very first Landcare group. They were volunteers who wanted to fix their local environment. Since then, the Landcare idea has spread all over Australia and to about 15 other countries! Today, there are around 4000 Landcare groups in Australia.
Some important people who helped start Landcare were Rick Farley from the National Farmers Association, and environmentalists Barbara Hardy and Phillip Toyne from the Australian Conservation Foundation. Former Victorian Premier Joan Kirner and farmer Heather Mitchell also strongly supported the idea early on.
Government Support for Landcare
Landcare got a big boost when the Australian Federal Government, led by Prime Minister Bob Hawke, announced a "decade of landcare." They also set up a way to keep giving money to Landcare. This helped volunteers continue and expand their important work.
What Landcare Groups Do
Landcare programs now include many different activities. They do research to see how well their past projects worked. They build fences to keep farm animals away from plants so the plants can grow back. They also create "windbreaks" (rows of trees) to protect animals from strong winds. Landcare groups also manage how water flows in rivers and streams and work to fix salty soil. Many tasks involve correcting mistakes made in farming many years ago. Sometimes, a project is simply about sharing ideas on how to care for the land. Other activities include removing weeds, using natural ways to control pests, and making farms look nicer.
Who Works with Landcare
Landcare groups in Australia get help from Landcare Australia, which is a national organisation. They also get support from other national and state groups, including:
- Landcare NSW
- Landcare NT
- The Landcare Association of South Australia (Landcare SA)
- Queensland Water & Land Carers
- Landcare Victoria Inc. (LVI)
- Landcare Tasmania
- The Western Australia Landcare Network (WALN)
Landcare Australia also keeps an online list called the National Landcare Directory. This directory includes many community groups across Australia. It lists Landcare networks, farmers, landowners, traditional custodians, junior groups, and Coastcare groups.
The National Landcare Network is the main national group that represents community Landcare groups in Australia. Its goal is to "represent, support and help the community Landcare movement grow." As of 2023, it includes about 2000 Landcare organisations from different states and territories. These organisations represent around 6000 individual Landcare groups.
Landcare's Leaders
As of 2021, the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Landcare Australia is Shane Norrish. The organisation is guided by a board of leaders. The chair of the board in 2021 was Doug Humann, who used to lead another group called Bush Heritage Australia.
Celebrating Landcare Heroes
Landcare Australia holds the National Landcare Awards every two years. The awards ceremony in 2020 was moved to August 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. The ceremony was held online and hosted by ABC TV presenter Costa Georgiadis. Awards were given in more than nine different areas, including for young people, Indigenous groups, soil care, and farming.
Caring for Country Projects
There are several projects called "Caring for Country." These projects focus on local Indigenous people and custodians. They work to fix Indigenous lands and protect the environment. They use their cultural knowledge and deep connection to country. Often, they work with non-Indigenous people and groups who want to help. The way Caring for Country projects are organised and funded is often different from local Landcare groups. The Australian Federal Government, through programs like the National Landcare Program and Caring for Our Country, has helped fund these projects and jobs for Indigenous rangers.
See also
- Conservation in Australia
- Environmental issues in Australia
- Bushcare Group
