Tag: media release

NSW LANDCARE AND LOCAL LAND SERVICES CONFERENCE A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!

The 2022 NSW Landcare and Local Land Services Conference was held on Thursday 17th March and for the first time it was an entirely online event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The existing three-day program was condensed into a single day of inspiring, informative and innovative presentations and discussions attended by over 250 attendees from across the state.

“Despite the challenges we have faced in the lead up to this conference, we were able to all come together. If we have learnt one thing in the last two years, it has been resilience and adaptability,” Landcare NSW Chair Ms Stephanie Cameron said.

Landcare NSW Chair Stephanie Cameron opened the conference.

“Landcare is needed now more than ever. It was so inspiring to see Landcarers from flood affected areas online and sharing their knowledge. Our thoughts and well wishes go out to those who have been and are still being impacted by the devastating floods.”

Hosted by War on Waste’s Craig Reucassal, the event was engaging from the very beginning with an incredible keynote address from Dr Chadden Hunter, producer of the wildlife series Planet Earth.

The day featured concurrent sessions around the theme of the conference: Rethink – Engaging Community; Recharge – Regenerative Agriculture/Land Management; Renew – Biodiversity/Regeneration.

The conference concluded with Landcare NSW CEO Turlough Guerin and NSW Landcare Program Assistant Manager Deb Tkachenko asking the big questions of the over 250 delegates online with their interactive presentation, ‘Rethinking Landcare – Ask the big questions and get answers’.

Landcare NSW CEO Turlough Guerin asking the big questions!

“Thank you to everyone who presented at the conference and shared their knowledge, learnings and insights,” said Ms Cameron.

The conference was followed by a free, online awards ceremony for the prestigious 2021 NSW Landcare Awards where the winners for each of the eight Landcare Award categories were announced.

Acting Local Land Services Board Chair, Allison Harker said, “The quality of the nominations from all across the state were outstanding and after an extensive judging process we have been able to pick our finalists and ultimately the Grand Champions for the eight award categories.”

“The nominees should be proud of their achievements, particularly in the wake of cumulative natural disasters and tough seasonal conditions.

“These nominees have shown tremendous resilience in the face of adversity and these awards are an excellent opportunity for us to say thank you to them and the wider Landcare community,” said Ms Harker.

For a full list of finalists and award winners for the 2021 NSW Landcare awards visit, www.nswlandcareconference.com.au

Grand champions of the NSW National Award categories will now go on to represent the whole NSW Landcare Community at the 2022 National Landcare Awards in Sydney.

New partnership set to strengthen ties between Landcare and Local Government in NSW

26th November, 2021

NSW peak bodies Landcare NSW and Local Government NSW (LGNSW) are joining forces to work together to improve environmental and community outcomes across NSW.

Landcare NSW Chair, Stephanie Cameron said the partnership is a natural fit for Landcare NSW whose mission is to support grassroots Landcarers to care for our land, environment, and communities.

“We are thrilled to be working with Local Government NSW to formalise the partnership between our two organisations,” Ms Cameron said. “We already work together in many parts of the state through on-ground projects that focus on environmental protection, sustainable food production, and community engagement and wellbeing.

“Landcare NSW has existing relationships with a number of Local Government NSW member Councils who host Regional and Local Landcare Coordinators. This partnership is a step in the right direction to expanding that connection further.”

LGNSW President Clr Linda Scott said the partnership will allow both organisations to achieve strong environmental and social outcomes.

“Councils across NSW are committed to good environmental management, and many already work with Landcare networks and groups to coordinate and collaborate on a range of community led, volunteer driven natural resource management activities and projects,” Cr Scott said.

“This partnership will allow us to explore future opportunities where we can align and collaborate.”

Landcare NSW is the peak body for community Landcare in NSW. It is a not-for-profit organisation that represents the many Landcare groups and volunteers that constitute the Landcare movement in NSW.

The partnership will include a bespoke membership opportunity for Local Government NSW members to support and connect with Landcare in their local region.

Landcare NSW is the peak representative body of community Landcare groups in NSW. Landcare is a community-driven approach to sustainable natural resource management with a focus on improving the resilience of the environment now and into the future.

Local Government NSW is the peak body for local government in NSW, representing general purpose councils and related entities. Local Government NSW aims to strengthen and protect an effective, democratic system of local government across NSW by supporting and advocating on behalf of member councils, including actively and persuasively representing the views of local government to the NSW and Australian governments.

Media Contacts:
Landcare NSW Jodie Lovell – 0439 316 151
Local Government NSW Media: 0448 718 892

MEDIA RELEASE: STIMULUS PACKAGE WOULD RESTORE LANDSCAPES AND FUEL JOB CREATION

18th March, 2021

New report outlines economic, social and environmental benefits of large-scale investment in conservation and land management jobs.

Regional communities in NSW hard hit by COVID-19, would benefit from large-scale investment in practical conservation and land management work according to a new report released today.

According to ‘The Working With Nature’ report, a $500 million investment will deliver thousands of full-time jobs and $1.2 billion in long-term economic benefits.

Landcare NSW is one of more than 100 conservation, farming and land management organisations that have come together to support a plan that would provide a pathway from welfare to work for thousands of people, restoring Australia’s landscapes and supporting regional economic recovery.

Landcare NSW CEO, Dr Adrian Zammit said the report outlines the diverse economic, social and environmental benefits associated with government investment in conservation and land management. Case studies point to opportunities for further investment in hard-hit regional communities.

“Support for practical conservation and land management activities like tree planting, weed management, soil erosion control, bushfire recovery, restoration of bushland, rivers and creeks, feral animal control and restoration of coastal and marine habitats would ensure that we sustainably manage our environmental recovery while simultaneously safeguarding our economic wellbeing,” said Dr Zammit.

“Government investment in conservation and land management work provides an opportunity to provide timely and targeted support to vulnerable people in hard hit regions, including youth and unskilled workers.”

Opportunities for investment in some of the hard-hit regions of New South Wales include projects on the North Coast restoring the Richmond and Manning rivers and weed control and bushfire recovery and building capacity of community organisations in the Hunter. These projects would provide employment for 250 full-time workers.

Projects in the South Coast and Snowy Mountains regions would tackle weeds in priority landscapes, assist in reducing the long-term impacts of bushfires and strengthening community networks. This would result in employment for 382 full-time workers.

Environmental leaders call for $4 billion boost to support economic recovery

MEDIA RELEASE

15th April, 2020

Environmental leaders call for $4 billion boost to support Australia’s economic recovery

Landcare NSW is one of over 70 environmental and farming groups that have signed a proposal to the Australian Government to create 24,000 jobs in land rehabilitation through a post-pandemic stimulus package.

The $4 billion plan would apply the skills and infrastructure of these respected organisations to the massive task of rebuilding the economy when the COVID 19 situation transitions from crisis to recovery.

The goal is to create jobs and economic stimulus by activating land management and conservation projects across the nation.

Landcare NSW CEO, Dr Adrian Zammit, says the nation-building proposal represented a remarkable show of unity by organisations that offer an extraordinary depth of experience, skill and commitment to conservation and agriculture.

The stimulus package would get the recently unemployed back into jobs where they would be engaged in meaningful work to help the land recover after the devastation of natural disasters.

“Drought, followed by catastrophic bushfires and flash flooding, have wreaked havoc on farms, landscapes and communities, and on-ground recovery work has been curtailed due to regulations to contain the virus,” says Dr Zammit.

“A national environmental stimulus package will help communities and landscapes to recover from the economic impact of COVID 19 and the financial and social impacts of the recent natural disasters.”

“Across Landcare alone there are tens of thousands of Australians actively involved in environmental action across all types of land tenure.”

“Stimulating community Landcare offers a huge opportunity to employ a workforce in improving the sustainability of our communities, environment and agricultural sectors,” says Dr Zammit.

Jobs in areas such as weed and pest control, river and catchment restoration and the repair of habitat and infrastructure damaged by fire would ensure tens of thousands of workers across NSW would be supported beyond the immediate crisis. The program would include funding for private land conservation by farmers and other land managers, tree-planting in urban and rural areas, coastal habitat restoration in partnership with communities and the fishing industry and marine plastics clean-up projects.

Media Release: 20 04 15 – Environmental Leaders call for $4 billion boost to support Australia’s economic recovery