#GenerationRestoration
We cannot turn back time, but we can grow forests, revive water sources, and bring back soils. We are the generation that can make peace with land.
World Environment Day
Landcare encompasses this year’s theme for World Environment Day in its very essence of being. Activities include the environmental protection, enhancement and conservation of land, water, waterways and coasts, and natural habitat restoration to enhance biodiversity. By building resilience in Australia’s food and farming systems, these activities help create social cohesion and wellbeing in rural, urban and coastal communities. Landcare embraces diversity and collaboration involving farmers, landowners, Traditional Owners and First Nations organisations, ‘Friends of’ groups caring for public land and water, local governments and water authorities, researchers, business, educational bodies, scouting and youth groups and other community groups involved in protecting, enhancing or restoring their local environment.
The community-based Landcare movement originated in Victoria, Australia in 1986. A group of farmers in the Victorian town of St Arnaud formed the first Landcare group to work together to tackle their shared environmental challenges as land managers.
This was supported by Joan Kirner (the Minister for Conservation, Forests and Lands at the time) and Heather Mitchell, who was the President of the Victorian Farmers Federation. By 1989, Landcare had become a national movement. Landcare was supported by the Hawke Labor Government who announced a ten-year plan and significant funding under the National Landcare Program.
In his speech to launch Landcare, former Prime Minister Bob Hawke AC spoke about the importance of co-operation to care for the land.
“The degradation of our environment is not simply a local problem, nor a problem for one state or another, nor for the Commonwealth alone. Rather, the damage being done to our environment is a problem for us all – and not just government- but for of us individually and together.”
Landcare has evolved to become one of the largest volunteer movements in Australia with more than 6000 groups and over 140,000 people working together towards sustainable land use and undertaking on-ground action to protect, enhance or restore an area on behalf of the community. The Landcare model has been so successful it has been adopted in over 20 countries.
About Landcare:
In addition to celebrating World Environment Day in June, National Landcare Week runs from 5 to 11 August 2024 with the theme of Landcare is for Everyone (L.I.F.E). The week is annual celebration to acknowledge the Australians who are actively restoring, enhancing and protecting the natural environment in their community.
There are opportunities for everyone - Landcare brings everyone together to actively be involved in sustainable land management and conservation activities, such as revegetation, waterway protection, seedbanks, citizen science, pest plant and animal control, Junior Landcare projects, corporate volunteering, and more.
YPRL has a wealth of information on sustainable land management and restoration. A favourite book of many land-carers is Native trees and shrubs of south-eastern Australia by Leon Costermans
We also recommend:
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Field guide to useful native plants from temperate Australia by Judith Caton
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Plantastic! A to Z of Australian plants by Catherine Clowes
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Flora of Melbourne : a guide to the indigenous plants of the greater Melbourne area by Marilyn Bull
Come along to these amazing events to inspire, connect and learn something new this World Environment Day:
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Sustainable Wearable Art, Monday 3 June 1pm—3pm at Whittlesea Library
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Explore our Natural World in Virtual Reality, Tuesday 4 June 11am—1pm at Mill Park Library
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Pollinators Workshop, Tuesday 4 June 6.30pm—8pm at Watsonia Library
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Seed Saving Workshop, Wednesday 5 June 11am—12pm at Diamond Valley Library
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Recycled Bird Feeders, Thursday 6 June 4pm—5pm at Ivanhoe Library
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Platypus Pop-Up, Saturday 8 June 12pm—4pm at Eltham Library
There are many opportunities to join a local Landcare or Friends group near you:
To get in touch with your local groups within the City of Whittlesea visit Environmental groups - Community Directory - City of Whittlesea or email the Whittlesea Landcare Facilitator at Landcare@whittlesea.vic.gov.au .
To get in touch with your local groups within Nillumbik Shire Council visit Environmental volunteer opportunities - Nillumbik Shire Council
To get in touch with your local groups in Banyule visit Join a friends of group | Banyule Council .
Most Landcare groups are listed on the Landcare Gateway - to search for a group online visit Find a group — Victorian Landcare Gateway (landcarevic.org.au)