partnerships Archives

3,000 Trees Planted for National Tree Day in Liverpool City Council

On Saturday 29th July, Greater Sydney Landcare and volunteers planted 3,000 native trees and shrubs for National Tree Day, as part of its Creating Canopies project. This takes the total number of trees planted so far this year by Creating Canopies to 10,000!

This free tree planting event, held in Gough Park, Cecil Hills in honour of National Tree Day, was run by Greater Sydney Landcare in partnership with Liverpool City Council.

As well as tree planting, there were plenty of other free activities for participants including:

Musical entertainment
Face painting for children
A plant giveaway
Barbeque lunch
First Nations weaving workshop

Ngiyampaa and Guringai artist Tarni Eastwood ran a weaving workshop on the day that volunteers took part in. Tarni aims to connect workshop participants with culture and community, by passing down her knowledge of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal weaving techniques. Participants worked with hand-dyed raffia from Tarni’s business Nula Weaving, which is based on Dharug Country in Western Sydney. Tarni actively facilitates weaving workshops with community to contribute to the ongoing revitalisation of traditional cultural practices.

Greater Sydney Landcare provided locally native plants, tools, and on-site training to participants on the day.

The Department of Planning and Environment’s Executive Director, Resilience and Urban Sustainability, Steve Hartley, said the 3,000 trees planted would help educate and inspire future generations in Liverpool and across Sydney.

“Growing our tree canopy across Western Sydney has great benefits for communities like Liverpool. These additional trees will provide cleaner air and help reduce surface temperatures,” Mr Hartley said.

This event is part of the Creating Canopies project. Ms Danielle Packer, Creating Canopies Project Manager for Greater Sydney Landcare said:

“The goal of Creating Canopies is to plant 200,000 native trees by the end of 2025. Creating Canopies is proudly funded by the NSW Government to help mitigate urban heat. Greater Sydney Landcare is running it in conjunction with Landcare NSW.”
“Creating Canopies is all about cooling Sydney down in the years to come,” said Ms Packer. “We’re focussing on planting trees that will grow to three metres and above, to provide lush green canopy for the birds, bugs and animals above and lots of cooling shade down below.”
“It’s also about providing a better experience of the great outdoors for all Sydneysiders,” Ms Packer said. “By making our outdoor areas shadier we can all stay outside longer, move about more, and get more fresh air than we could in unshaded areas. This is because planting trees helps to mitigate urban heat.”

Green spaces are also associated with increased physical activity, better physical health, lower stress levels, reduced air pollution, and greater community satisfaction.

Ms Packer said:

“Greater Sydney Landcare is proud to partner with Liverpool City Council in their environmental initiatives and to create canopies in Greater Sydney.
“Partners like Liverpool City Council are invaluable—they provide the spaces for greening. It’s also a great day for the Liverpool community to come out and make their local area an even nicer place to live,” Ms Packer said.

About the Creating Canopies project:

Landcare NSW and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees to help mitigate urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.

Creating Connected Resilient Communities – Eat Dirt students constructing new shade houses

‘Eat Dirt’ a program aimed at connecting students to Country, nature and each other, is demolishing and constructing four new shade houses with the first to be built at Bellingen High.

In preparation, some of the Eat Dirt crew were there to demolish the old shade house that had definitely seen better days.

The students will build the new shade house and assist with the concreting to gain some construction skills and to learn by doing.

The shade house will be used to grow native plants to be used in Landcare projects in the local area, including koala habitat trees which were destroyed during fire and flood events.

Bellingen High student Ollie Sampson said:

“It’s so great to be outdoors and doing something with our hands and it will be even better when we get to plant the trees we are going to grow.”

Teacher Nathan Beal, said:

“Opportunities like this for our students are invaluable for teaching them real world skills. Thanks to Landcare NSW and the NSW Reconstruction Authority for making this possible. These students are gaining confidence and are working really well as a team.”

Funding for this pilot program has been made possible with a grant from the NSW Government’s Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund and is a partnership project with Gotcha4Life, Surf Life Saving NSW, Bellingen High School and the local community.

To find out more about the project, contact Melanie Tyas, Landcare NSW on mtyas@landcarensw.org.au.

Creating Connected Resilient Communities – Eat Dirt heads to the beach!

‘Eat Dirt’ a program aimed at connecting students to Country, nature and each other is coming to an end for 2022 and to celebrate the group from Bellingen High School headed out to Hungry Head Beach in Urunga to hear some stories from Uncle Micklo and swim in the ocean under the watchful eyes of five lifeguards from Hungry Head Surf Life Saving. It’s not often you get the beach to yourselves with your own personal water safety crew!

Despite the rain and less than ideal conditions the group had an absolute ball, playing soccer, cricket and footy on the beach, finishing off with hot chips and scallops and a spot of fishing.

Every Thursday since April the group has come together to undertake bush regeneration, creek clean-ups, propagation, primal games, growing vegetables, nature journalling and art activities at Bellingen High. Other activities have included chainsaw maintenance, jiu jitzu, learning about SMEAC briefings and fire-fighting, painting murals, yoga and trying to catch the elusive koi carp that have been released into the local creek.

We have also put on a Night for the Folks with Tomorrow Man, Tomorrow Woman and contributed to the school’s wellbeing day by funding a tie dye workshop and One Mob Radio and purchased some branded marquees for use at sporting and community events. It was great to see them being used to provide shade for locals who had gathered in Bellingen town for a memorial for Gillian Helfgott, acclaimed astrologer and wife of the amazing pianist David Helfgott.

Project Manager, Melanie Tyas said: “The aim of the project was to connect our students to nature, Country, each other and place and we are well on the way to achieving that goal. We now have a couple of students who would like to pursue a career in bush regeneration and a conversation with the lifeguards yesterday has planted the seed for a new bush regen group forming to remove the weeds from the littoral rainforest at the back of Hungry Head Beach.

“Uncle Micklo’s weekly stories have connected us to Country and by getting our hands in the soil, whether it be by planting vegies or removing weeds, and spending every Thursday out of the classroom we have connected to nature. Working as a team in sporting events such as Captain and Tunnel Ball, and force ‘em backs has cemented friendships with both mentors and mentees alike and as we heal the land we heal ourselves.

“A huge thank you to Resilience NSW for providing the funding to make this possible, to Bellingen High for embracing the program and to our partners Surf Life Saving NSW and Gotcha4Life. This is just the beginning of our journey to transform education,” said Melanie.

To find out more about the project, contact Melanie Tyas, Landcare NSW on mtyas@landcarensw.org.au.

Media Release: Landcare NSW and OzFish launches citizen science initiative to help bushfire affected waterways in NSW 

Joint Media Release

Monday 6th December

OzFish in partnership with Landcare NSW has today announced a state-wide citizen science program in a bid to monitor the recovery of waterways since the 2019-2020 Black Summer Bushfires.

Aptly named Waterway Fire Science, the project which is funded by the Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery Grants program aims to mobilise community groups and recreational fishers to self-monitor the recovery of their local waterways. Volunteers will use a range of water sampling techniques that will contribute to ongoing research efforts and future bushfire recovery programs.

OzFish’s Project Officer for NSW South Coast, Lucas Kas is enthusiastic about the immediate impact citizen scientists can have.

“The more people we can get to roll up their sleeves and get out in the field to collect data, the clearer the picture we will have of the rate of recovery,” said Lucas.

“Understanding the way these systems are recovering is key to minimising the impact fires have in the future. It allows OzFish and our partners to see what activities will increase the resilience and revival of our waterways after fire events.”

“Bushfires are inevitable in Australia, but residents can now get involved in how to help habitat revive,” said Lucas.

OzFish and Landcare NSW are calling upon community members interested in making a positive contribution to their local waterways, to get involved.

Through the partnership, OzFish will provide training on identifying the impacts fire has on riparian vegetation, water quality and riverbank stability, as well as how to measure, monitor, respond to, and commence recovery of impacted waterways.

Landcare NSW Chair, Stephanie Cameron said local Landcare groups, recreational fishers and individuals can access training and increase their skills and knowledge to make a real difference on the ground.

“Training will be provided through a series of both online and in-field workshops across NSW, of which the dates and locations will be announced in early 2022,” said Stephanie.

“Volunteers will also learn how to collect key readings of vegetation, as well as harnessing exciting new technologies like eDNA to confirm the presence of any species in the area.

“At each event all equipment will be provided to allow volunteers to carry out a range of monitoring techniques such as water bug sampling and mapping terrestrial and aquatic fauna using underwater cameras,” said Stephanie.

If you’d like to get involved or hear more about the project, head over to Waterway Fire Science – OzFish Unlimited and click on the Waterway Fire Science page under projects and register your interest now.

This Landcare Led Bushfire Recovery project has been supported by the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Program for Wildlife and their Habitat.

ENDS

Interviews Available

Media Contacts
Jonathon Bleakley – Media Manager | OzFish Unlimited
Jonathonbleakley@ozfish.org.au | 0402171914

About OzFish 
OzFish Unlimited is a national fishing conservation charity established to improve the health of our rivers, lakes and estuaries. It is a member-based organisation dedicated to make our fishing grounds healthy, vibrant and more productive. Their active work includes; habitat restoration such as resnagging, riverbank planting, fishways, shellfish reefs and educational and community capacity building programs.

About Landcare NSW
Landcare NSW is the peak body and voice of community Landcare in NSW. Our mission is to care for the land and the environment. The Landcare movement is a community-based approach to managing and protecting our natural resources – creating more productive and sustainable farms, conserving our environment, and building more cohesive and resilient communities. Landcare connects you to on-ground activities where you can volunteer with like-minded individuals who have a passion for caring for country.

Media Release: Landcare NSW and OzFish driving fish habitat improvements in NSW

Joint Media Release

Monday 30th November

The Landcare NSW and OzFish partnership to deliver improved fish habitat in NSW has achieved close to one million dollars of habitat restoration work in its first twelve months.

With an initial investment from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts of $200 000, the two groups have attracted an additional $330,000 cash investment and over $500,000 in-kind support into fish habitat restoration work for the state’s inland rivers and coastal waterways.

The partnership focuses on local groups coming together to determine their waterway’s fish habitat needs and to take action to improve it. Under the expert guidance from the OzFish team, groups devised a range of projects including, re-snagging, trash racks, re-planting, fish monitoring, weeding, fencing and clean-ups.

Cassie Price, OzFish’s Director of Habitat Programs said, ‘We know everyone is having a challenging year, but it is amazing what Landcare and OzFish volunteers have achieved together despite the conditions out there on the ground.

“There are now 14,300 more trees along NSW riverbanks that will provide shade and stable water temperatures, insect fall and eventually snags for fish. Sixty more snags in our rivers installed which will provide instant homes, shelter and food for fish, along with 30km of riverbank weeded, cleaned up and restored. Plus a trash rack stopping litter, eight engagement events, and a search for a lost fish in Sydney.”

The real value in the partnership was seen in the mobilisation of five hundred recreational fishers and Landcarers who got involved in a wide variety of new restoration initiatives bringing ideas, energy and enthusiasm to the table and over 2,000 hours of volunteer time to improve their local waterway.

“There is a lot of work that goes into delivering these outcomes. It’s a credit to each of these communities, that they have dedicated groups willing to volunteer for their local rivers and for fish’ she said.

“We are happy to be celebrating the achievements of year one of our partnership, and the work continues,” Cassie said.

Landcare NSW CEO Adrian Zammit agreed, “Landcare NSW is thrilled to see this partnership deliver such amazing results for NSW. The results delivered so far are clear evidence that NRM challenges require close collaboration and partnerships between like-minded organisations.”

The project was made possible with funding support from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and BCF Boating Camping and Fishing.

Landcare NSW Strategic Plan 2021-2022

I am pleased to present the Landcare NSW Strategic Plan 2021-2022 which has been developed in consultation with the NSW Landcare community with input and guidance from Landcare NSW Musters, Landcare NSW Council, Executive Committee and staff.

Landcare is a grassroots, iconic Australian institution that works endlessly to improve the health of our environment, farms and communities, delivering well over $500 million a year in triple bottom line benefits to NSW.

Landcare NSW is the peak body for community Landcare in NSW, representing the interests of around 60,000 Landcarers and approximately 3,000 Landcare, Bushcare, Coastcare, Dunecare, Rivercare and other ‘care’ groups.

The Landcare community’s passion, knowledge, dedication and effort underpins the Landcare movement’s unique value proposition, which in turn provides the building blocks and impetus for Landcare NSW’s continued growth and development.

I believe Landcare NSW has an exciting future.

This strategy is focused on the priorities of the State body but recognises that the purpose and guiding mission of Landcare NSW is to deliver what community Landcare needs in NSW.

Make no mistake – everything that is included in this strategic plan is for the benefit of the Landcare community. Landcare NSW is an enabler for Landcare groups in NSW to grow and prosper, to acquire the skills and resources they need to do the work on the ground.

The strategy is about evolution, innovation, collaboration, partnerships and growth. Building on Landcare’s 30-year history, heritage and track record of delivery, Landcare NSW has set out clear priorities that will deliver the resources and services the Landcare community needs to ensure a thriving future for the Landcare movement in NSW.

We hope you enjoy reading about the future direction of Landcare NSW. Please feel free to contact us with questions, feedback and comments: administration@landcarensw.org.au

Yours sincerely,

Dr Adrian Zammit | CEO
Landcare NSW Inc.

Landcare NSW Strategic Plan 2021-2022