Landcare NSW notes progress towards creating a new national Landcare organisation, with due diligence to be completed by Christmas and the new entity to be established by 30 June, 2018.

There are currently two national bodies: the National Landcare Network (NLN) – a federation of state and territory peak bodies representing grassroots community Landcare – and Landcare Australia (LA) which provides a range of services and functions on behalf of the Landcare movement.

Following a Joint NLN/LA Board meeting in Canberra on 23 November 2017, the following statement was issued by the Boards:

The boards of the NLN and Landcare Australia met in Canberra on 23rd November to re-affirm their commitment to move forward with the formation of a new national Landcare organisation. They agreed on the next steps to make this happen, with the due diligence to be completed by Christmas and the new entity to be established before the end of this financial year.

Once formed, a new organisation will give the Landcare movement a single national organisation working on its behalf, which will combine and build on the representative capacity and voice of the NLN and the marketing, education, fundraising and program delivery skills of Landcare Australia. Both organisations are committed to doing what is best for community Landcare and recognise that they will have a greater impact together.

Also last week in Canberra there was a meeting of the NLN Members Council. The NLN Members Council is comprised of 24 elected delegates from each of the eight state and territory Landcare peak organisations. Collectively they represent the more than 5400 Landcare groups across Australia.

At their 22 November 2017 meeting, the Members Council unanimously passed the following resolution.

The Members Council strongly endorses the formation of a new single national organisation to represent and support the interests of the Landcare movement. 
We applaud the initiative undertaken by the two partner organisations, the National Landcare Network and Landcare Australia, in progressing this historic opportunity, to create an organisation that represents and has the support of the grassroots landcare community. This single national entity unites the skills and expertise of both organisations to ensure grassroots Landcare is supported and has a has single national voice.

Landcare NSW looks forward to seeing the progress of this important task for the future of Landcare in Australia.

A New National Landcare Organisation – update from NLN and Landcare Australia November 2017