Landcare
Landcare means many things to many people and it is therefore very difficult to define.
Many would agree however, that landcare is about people caring for the land. It is the careful management of the land and its natural resources for the benefit of this and future generations.
It is about the development of a community ethic based on protecting the land and its associated water, plants and animals.
Landcare is a partnership between community and government, to encourage wide community participation in land and water management issues and to foster an ethic of sustainable land use while maintaining options for future generations.
A Landcare group consists of a number of people working together to make a positive contribution to the long term health of the land.
While in the past most groups have had a primary production focus, the number of groups in urban, rural-urban and coastal areas is swelling and there is substantial evidence that landcare is becoming more important to the wider community.
There are over 4000 groups throughout Australia, and while the Territory has only 36, they cover most of its area. Membership of groups among primary producers is close to 50%, the highest of any State or Territory in Australia.
The great advantage of landcare groups lies in the power and will to deal constructively with land degradation problems which may seem too big for individual families. In dealing with local issues, a group is often motivated by interest, cooperation and ownership. That is, getting out there and doing something!
Within a group there usually lies an impressive collection of skills and resources amongst its members to get the job done, or at least to be able to find out how best to get the resources to do it.
Landcare groups often start up when one or more people have a concern over a local land management issue and feel motivated to do something about it. A small nucleus group or steering committee then focus on the local issues and gauge the degree of interest and concern among the wider community. They may also consider the resources required to address these issues as well as those which are locally available.
An inaugural meeting is then called to launch the group, recruit interested people, decide on a name, determine the area boundaries and elect a committee.
Activities could include:
- field days;
- walks through the area;
- inviting guests to meetings; and
- visits to other landcare groups.
As the group develops, other activities become important.
The nature of these will of course depend on the issues which you face, the size of your group, type of area which your group covers and your current resources, but could include:
- establishing field demonstrations on soil conservation methods;
- trialing weed control methods;
- compiling maps and other information on your area’s land resources;
- weed eradication; and
- general working bees.
There is a range of external forms of assistance available to groups through various government and non-government organisations.
Finding the most appropriate form of assistance can be quite a task.
Consequently, groups are encouraged to discuss their needs with Landcare Officers and/or members of other established landcare groups.