Category: News

New UN report: Landcare is key part of the ‘transformative change’ needed to save the environment.

The new report on the catastrophic state of the environment released today by the United Nations, should spur all political parties to prioritise funding and support for grassroots Landcare.

“The critical message in this report is that it’s not too late; we must not give in to despair but act now at every level, from local to global,” said Landcare NSW CEO, Dr Adrian Zammit.

UN Spokesman, Sir Robert Watson, commented that through ‘transformative change nature can still be conserved, restored and used sustainably’.

Landcare is a movement of farmers, conservationists, children, scientists and ordinary people who volunteer their time, effort and resources to protect and restore our natural resources.

“We are at the forefront of the transformative change identified in the UN report but we cannot operate without funding and support from all levels of Government,” said Dr Zammit.

Despite a 30-year history in Australia – 60,000 volunteers and 3000 groups in NSW – federal funding for Landcare is in decline.

“Nobody is talking about Landcare in the federal election campaign. The name of our community movement is being used for a federal government program that in large part does not reach our groups.

“We need bold leadership from whichever party is in power federally to engage local people across the nation in making the transformative change needed to manage our natural resources sustainably,” said Dr Zammit.

Landcare groups in NSW have worked in partnership with the NSW Government over the past four years to rebuild local volunteer group infrastructure but the lack of commitment from the mis-named National Landcare Program has resulted in severe cuts in several regions.

Read the report here: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/

Contact:
Dr Adrian Zammit
Landcare NSW CEO
Phone: 0457 026 177
Email: azammit@landcarensw.org.au

 

Recent media coverage:

ABC News – WA Country Hour “Federal election 2019: Major parties accused of neglecting a ‘broken’ National Landcare funding system”

 

The NSW Landcare community is ready and willing to help whichever party wins government on 18 May to protect and restore the environment.

“The biggest challenge the new Government will face is managing our natural resources sustainably in the context of a changing climate and the needs of a growing population,” said Landcare NSW CEO Dr Adrian Zammit.

Landcare is a community movement that was initiated by a group of farmers 30 years ago. It has been replicated in 20 countries. Local people form Landcare groups and respond to issues in their local area, such as farming more sustainably, restoring rivers and waterways, creating wildlife corridors, revegetating landscapes etc.

A recent report found investment of $1 in Landcare returns $6 in economic benefits, equating to $500m per year in NSW.
Over 30 years, Landcare in NSW has developed an infrastructure of 3000 groups supported by a network of paid professional staff who provide guidance and support to more than 60,000 volunteers.

“Landcare groups contribute a massive amount of voluntary work and are highly effective at leveraging support from various sources but they cannot operate without sufficient federal, state and local government funding. Funds are needed for Local Coordinators and core administrative support and for grants to do on-ground work,” explained Dr Zammit.

“The major political parties in NSW have pledged their support for Landcare and as a result of the State Government’s funding and support from the Opposition and other parties Landcare has been rebuilding over the past four years. This partnership has led to a resurgence of local activity and is highly valued by the Landcare community.

“However, the Federal Government and major parties have been missing in action. Despite the name, the National Landcare Program largely does not support community Landcare. The cuts to the NLP in Phase Two have had serious consequences for the NSW Landcare community and threaten to unravel progress achieved over the past few years through the positive Landcare/NSW Government partnership.

A policy document developed by the National Landcare Network and Landcare Australia states that federal funding for Landcare is at a lower annual level than 1997. http://nln.org.au/

Landcare NSW is seeking a concrete commitment from all political parties to reinvigorate Landcare in Australia with federal reform to ensure the support hits the ground where local Landcare groups are ready and motivated to provide their own expertise, time and money to manage our natural resources and deal with our environmental challenges.

Landcare NSW recently compiled information based on input from Landcare community representatives to understand the impact of the recent federal funding reductions – see below for a region-by-region breakdown.

Contact:
Dr Adrian Zammit
Landcare NSW CEO
Phone: 0457 026 177
Email: azammit@landcarensw.org.au

Supporting Documents:

Media Release – Landcare ready to step up and respond to environmental challenges

NLP2 – Landcare capacity diminished region-by-region breakdown

Landcare NSW is supporting the National Landcare Network (NLN) and Landcare Australia’s policy statement, Landcare Communities – Australia’s Future, which seeks an ongoing commitment to the community Landcare movement, providing reliable funding that supports a foundation of local action undertaken with regional, state and national support.

“We are calling for all candidates in the upcoming Federal election to commit to supporting policies to enhance and ensure the sustainability of Landcare in urban, peri-urban and rural settings,” said Dr Adrian Zammit, Chief Executive Officer, Landcare NSW.

“We also want Landcarers across NSW to ask candidates in their electorates to demonstrate this commitment.”

Extract from The Landcare Organisations, Policy Statement 2019 Executive Summary:

Collectively, the Landcare Organisations together represent community Landcare nationally. Community Landcare is a foundation of strong communities, with tens of thousands of Landcarers acting together to restore land, water and coastal landscapes across all boundaries. This approach builds resilience in communities, towns, on farms and in the outback, improving human and environmental health and wellbeing. Investment will empower the movement.

Landcare Communities – Australia’s Future is a statement from Landcarers from across the country. The document’s focus is on giving the community the capacity to ensure a stable Landcare system in the long term.

The key principles to underpin a renewed strategic investment in community Landcare in Australia are:

• A clear philosophical approach to support a grass-roots movement and volunteerism
• Funding delivered at the most local level possible – to support action on ground with paid local coordinators/facilitators
• Landcare Network Hubs leverage state and territory funding, staffed by federally funded but locally directed community Landcare networkers
• Modest core funding to support Landcare Organisations provides impact at scale, government relations, a unified voice and wider connections
• Measure and amplify local successes at regional, state and national scales.

Outcomes will meet local, regional and national commitments with a six-fold return on investment to:

• Empower local communities to act
• Address downward trends in land, water and coastal degradation, species loss and climate change
• Build overall resilience in communities and nature
• Increase carbon capture in soil and vegetation
• Deliver on local, regional, national and international commitments efficiently and effectively, maximizing co-benefits
• Empower Traditional Owners land management and decision making, recognising them as leaders in Landcare
• Provide children and youth a lifelong connection to place, community and food systems, bridge the city-country divide, and nurture a new generation of Landcarers
• Increase our knowledge base and capacity to learn, linking local knowledge and observations to national research, monitoring and evaluation systems.

Dr Adrian Zammit says: “This policy statement recognises the invaluable contribution that Landcare volunteers make to better natural resource management outcomes and is all about securing the Landcare movement for the future.

“We know in NSW how many valuable activities and projects are rolled out on the ground and understand that for this to continue there needs to be a commitment from the Australian government to ensure longevity and sustainability in the Landcare movement.”

To support Landcare you can:

• View Landcare Communities – Australia’s Future on the Landcare NSW website (link below);
• Find out who is standing in your electorate: Find Your Candidate;
• Write, email or phone candidates in your local electorate to ask for their support for Landcare policies before they go to the polls on 18 May;
• Follow Landcare NSW on Facebook and Twitter and share key messages with your networks;
• Talk to people in your community about how candidates in the Federal election can support Landcare.

Supporting Documents:

NLN and Landcare Australia Landcare Policy Statement 2019

NLN Landcare Policy Statement Background Paper 2019

NLN Policy Statement 2019 FAQs

Template Letter to Federal Candidates 

For the first time ever, Landcare NSW will be at the 2019 Sydney Royal Easter Show, one ofthe largest ticketed events in the Australia with over 900,000 attendees.

Over the whole Easter long weekend (from Good Friday 19th April to Easter Monday 22 April), Landcare NSW will be stationed near the Main Amphitheatre at the Sydney Showground, with a range of exciting giveaways and fun, educational activities on offer for all ages.

Landcare NSW CEO Dr. Adrian Zammit said that Landcare NSW was excited about the opportunity to meet with Landcare supporters at the Easter Show.

“We are thrilled to be at the Easter Show for the first time this year, and we’re encouraging anyone who is passionate about conservation, sustainable agriculture and the resilience of our urban and rural communities to stop by and learn more about what we do at Landcare NSW,” Dr Zammit said.

The Landcare NSW stand will feature seed stick giveaways containing native varieties like Crimson Banksias, Everlasting and Swan River Daisies and Lemon Scented Tea Trees, as well as a range of fun activities for kids of all ages, including a colouring competition featuring key Landcare mascots like Rory, the feral pig.

The native seed sticks will also form part of the hugely popular Ag Bag show bag this year. “The Ag Bag is a wonderful celebration of Australian agriculture. With proceeds from Ag Bag sales going to the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Foundation’s Community Futures Grant program, it’s something we’re proud to be supporting with the inclusion of our seed sticks this year,” Dr Zammit said.

Landcare NSW is encouraging anyone who can’t make it to the Show but still wants to be involved, to show their support by becoming a Friend of Landcare NSW or making an online donation.

Sign up as a Friend of Landcare NSW here: www.landcarensw.org.au/royal-eastershow/.

For more information contact:
Alison McLaughlin
Landcare NSW Government Relations & Communications Manager
Phone: 0414 918 470
Email: amclaughlin@landcarensw.org.au

Media Release – Visit Landcare NSW at the Sydney Royal Easter Show

The first phase of the Managing Established Pest Animals and Weeds (MEPAAW) project has been completed with 11 regional workshops held across NSW.

Landcare NSW has been engaged by NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to facilitate the delivery of workshops and activities aimed at increasing landholder uptake of best practice management of invasive species.

These workshops saw 157 participants from Landcare organisations, Local Land Services, NSW DPI, local weeds control authorities and others working collaboratively to develop and prioritise weed and pest animal training and extension projects to meet the needs of their region.

From the regional workshops a prioritised list of pest animal and weed activities has been collated and some state-wide issues and potential programs identified.

Landcare organisations who are members of Landcare NSW and participated in the planning phase of the project, and LLCI host organisations have been invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to deliver activities identified as priorities for their region.

Collaboration between neighbouring Landcare organisations and other partners has been strongly encouraged.

Sixty EOIs have been received from across all of the 11 regions. These EOIs have been reviewed against the priority activities from the regional workshops.

Project agreements are currently being negotiated between Landcare NSW and the Landcare organisations for the delivery of the agreed outputs.

The timeframe for delivery is tight so there will be many interesting weed and pest animal activities happening across NSW in the next couple of months – keep an eye out in your area!

This project provides an opportunity to build partnerships between Landcare, land managers, government agencies and local government to improve the delivery of collaborative management actions targeting established pest animals and widespread weeds across NSW.

This project is managed by Landcare NSW, and is conducted under the auspices of the Joint Management Committee of Local Land Services and Landcare NSW.

 

This project is supported by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Landcare NSW through funding received from the Established Pest Animals and Weeds initiative, part of the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper, the government’s plan for stronger farmers and a stronger economy.

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“Share Learn Connect”
18 – 20 March 2019

110 Local Landcare Coordinators, Landcare Committee members, representatives of Local Land Services and Landcare NSW gathered at the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence as a state- wide-movement; “Share, Learn and Connect”.

The gathering, held in Redfern, Sydney on March 18 to 20, was a platform for participants in the Local Landcare Coordinator Initiative to come together from across NSW as a community of practice. They shared experiences, learnt new skills and fostered stronger connections with each other.

The Local Landcare Coordinator Initiative is a $15 million investment by the NSW Government, which has since 2015 established a network of 70 part-time Local Coordinators, hosted by local community organisations to unlock the huge potential of the Landcare volunteer movement in NSW.

Dr. Adrian Zammit, Chief Executive Officer, Landcare NSW said that “the event had been excellent”.

“Landcare’s strength lies in the fact that it is a 60,000-strong grassroots, community movement – it’s about local people doing work on the ground to provide local solutions to local problems,” said Dr. Zammit.

“The LLCI was implemented in 2016 to support the network of hard-working volunteers in local communities who manage and restore the natural environment, improve the sustainability of agricultural production and build the resilience of communities.”

Share, learn and connect was the theme of a series of speakers and workshops designed to help to develop participants’ skills in many areas including but not limited to understanding people and community organisations, rural resilience, technology, and partnership opportunities.

State Landcare Coordinator with Landcare NSW, Natasha English, noted that the learnings and connections that people formed at the workshop was intended to provide peer support, clear understanding of the proposed components of a future program and information sharing opportunities to build on the results achieved in the current program.

“By creating an opportunity for our Landcare people to come together, it has strengthened our shared purpose and collective knowledge.”

This Statewide Gathering was the third and final of three workshops held for the Local Landcare Coordinator Initiative across the life of the program.

The workshop was designed to provide participants with an opportunity to:

• Increase skills and understanding on aspects relating to LLCI objectives and contribute to the evaluation of the program
• Support the new coordinators and welcome them into the Landcare community
• Provide committee participants from member groups the opportunity to share and learn on topics that are of relevance to the work they undertake in Landcare
• Provide individual and regionally based feedback and input to the future direction of the program
• Showcase the diversity and strength of the network.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The Local Landcare Coordinator Initiative is funded by the NSW Government and is supported through the partnership of Local Land Services and Landcare NSW.

 

Funding commitments as announced by both the NSW Government and NSW Opposition for the NSW Landcare Support Program (formerly LLCI program) 2019-2023.

 

John Barilaro, Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional NSW and Niall Blair, Minister for Primary Industries media release – Supporting our true green army – Landcare	Michael Daley MP, NSW Labor Leader media release –  Landcare NSW to grow under a Daley Government
This funding will provide the following components for a new NSW Landcare Support Program: 60 x part-time (0.5 FTE) Local Landcare Coordinators; 11 x part-time (0.6 FTE) Regional Coordinators; a budget for an aboriginal Landcare program; and fund programs for professional development and training for local and regional coordinators.	This funding will provide the following components for a new NSW Landcare Support Program: 50 x (1 FTE) Local Landcare Coordinators; 11 x (1 FTE) Regional Coordinators; a budget for an aboriginal Landcare program; and fund programs for professional development and training for local and regional coordinators.

 

 

Grants of up to $5,000 are now available to eligible Landcare NSW member groups! 

Paid member groups of Landcare NSW who have renewed their membership in 2018 have the opportunity to apply for funding as part of the Community Underwriting Small Grants Program.

This opportunity is available exclusively to Landcare NSW member groups as one of the member benefits of the membership program.

Applications close 30th November 2018.

The Community Underwriting grants program applies to any Not for Profit or community-based organisation that has:

• Renewed its insurances with us during the last 12 months; and
• Completed the application in full and submitted it to Community Underwriting with any supporting information by 30 November 2018.

If your group meets this eligibility criteria please download a copy of the Small Grants Program Funding Guidelines and 2018 Small Grants application form and forward completed information to service@communityunderwriting.com.au.

The Community Underwriting Team
Tel: 02 8045 2580
service@communityunderwriting.com.au

If you are a new policy holder in 2018 and you renew in March 2019 then you will be eligible for the 2019 Small Grant program.

Landcare NSW has announced that Deputy Chair, Stephanie Cameron, will become the organisation’s new Chairperson, in what marks a significant transition for the peak representative body of Landcare in NSW.

Announced at the annual Trees in the House event in NSW Parliament House, Ms Cameron will succeed long-serving Chair Robert Dulhunty following the Landcare NSW AGM on Wednesday, 14 November 2018.

The transition marks the end of nearly 30 years of volunteer service to Landcare for Mr Dulhunty, who was a founding member of Landcare NSW in 2007 and has served as Chair since 2012.

Landcare NSW is the representative body of the Landcare movement in NSW and the voice of community Landcare across the state.

Landcare NSW CEO, Dr Adrian Zammit, thanked Mr Dulhunty and congratulated him on his momentous contribution to the Landcare movement during his time with the organisation.

“We warmly thank Rob for all that he has given to Landcare over a lifetime,” Dr Zammit said.

“Rob’s vision and commitment to the Landcare movement is remarkable, and his experience and depth of knowledge of Landcare and broader natural resource management has seen him create a wonderful legacy for our organisation.

“With over 60,000 active Landcarers, and 3000 groups working on numerous projects around the state, Landcare initiatives and stakeholders are many and varied. Rob’s ability to continually unify and draw together support from the corporate, government and philanthropic sectors has been outstanding, and has enabled Landcare NSW to become a truly representative organisation,” he said.

Incoming Chair, Stephanie Cameron, is a qualified scientist who comes to the role having been actively involved with Landcare in the Tamworth and North West region for many years.

Ms Cameron was a founding member of the Tamworth Urban Landcare Group, Treasurer of the Tamworth Regional Landcare Association and has served on the Executive Landcare NSW Committee since 2014.

Speaking of her appointment, Ms Cameron said that she was honoured and excited by the opportunity to build on the work of her predecessor.

“Rob leaves Landcare NSW having established a great platform for our future, and I look forward to working with all Landcarers as we continue our efforts to secure a future that is well funded, well recognised and well valued by all stakeholders,” Ms Cameron said.

Reflecting on his tenure as Chair of Landcare NSW, Mr Dulhunty said that he was proud of Landcare’s achievements over many years, and he thanked all involved in the Landcare movement in New South Wales for their contributions.

“Looking back on my time with Landcare, I’m very proud of what we have achieved in a relatively short space of time,” Mr Dulhunty said.

“From the realisation of the Local Landcare Coordinator Initiative with the Local Land Services and NSW Government, to the consistent efforts of every individual Landcarer around the state, we have worked hard to build a sustainable and representative Landcare and I look forward to watching on as the organisation and broader movement continues to thrive.”

Co-hosted with the Parliamentary Friends of Landcare Group, Trees in the House is Landcare NSW’s annual flagship event. Attended by NSW Government Ministers, Agency representatives and local Landcare representatives from around the state, the event is the pre-eminent gathering of parties committed to advancing the environmental, social and economic benefits that sustainable land and water management are unlocking in NSW.

Further information:

Stephanie Cameron biography

Stephanie Cameron speech – key focus areas for Landcare NSW going forward – Trees in the House, Tuesday 13 November 2018

Photo Gallery – Trees in the House, Tuesday 13 November 2018

At the National Drought Summit in Canberra the Prime Minister announced a Future Drought Fund that will grow to $5 billion over a decade and will generate $100m a year for infrastructure projects and resilience initiatives to help farmers and communities deal with drought.

Landcare was represented at the Summit by Sandy McKenzie, a former Member of Parliament and member of the Victorian Landcare community.

Sandy sat next to the National Drought Coordinator, Major General Stephen Day, and had the opportunity to address the Summit about the importance of Landcare, highlighting the volunteer contribution and the central role played by women in Landcare.

As the dust settles on this important event it will be critical for decision makers to hear from on ground Landcarers about how best to prioritise and leverage investment to achieve the best results for farmers, communities and the natural resources that sustain them.

Further information on the Summit including who attended, principles adopted by the Summit and a transcript of the PM’s press conference are below.

Prime Minister announces Future Drought Fund that will grow to $5b over a decade
http://theconversation.com/government-to-set-up-new-multi-billion-future-drought-fund-105688

Principles adopted by the Summit.
https://www.pmc.gov.au/news-centre/domestic-policy/national-drought-summit-statement

Transcript of PM’s press conference
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/drought-summit-press-conference

Presentations from the Summit.
https://www.pmc.gov.au/news-centre/domestic-policy/national-drought-summit-presentations-available

Attendees at the Summit
https://www.pmc.gov.au/news-centre/domestic-policy/national-drought-summit-26-october-2018-attendees