The Impact of Landcare in NSW
Landcare NSW, since its inception, has significantly impacted New South Wales (NSW) through its environmental and community initiatives. The organisation's commitment to sustainable land management and conservation practices has delivered multiple benefits: financial, ecological, and social. Here are highlights from just a few of our successes over the last reporting period: thanks all to our incredible Team, Board, Coordinators, Hosts, Members, Volunteers, and Funders.
Our Vision and Long-Term Success
Our mutual commitment to nurturing and preserving our environment through community has been pivotal in our journey. Over the past decade, Landcare NSW has garnered over $100 million in direct funding and financial commitments, underscoring our profound impact across the State.
Our outgoing Chair, Stephanie Cameron, and Treasurer, Hunter White, and previous Board and Team members, have been instrumental in these achievements, mainly through their foresight in enhancing our governance structure, enabling us to gain the trust of our funding stakeholders. Our current Team has brought the investment in enhancing of our governance to fruition through the current impactful projects and programs.
Our vision remains ambitious and clear:
To empower every Landcarer in their endeavours and to increase our membership base to reach one million Landcarers by 2040.
We continue to focus on amplifying the value of Landcaring, simplifying funding processes, and promoting agricultural stewardship and environmental conservation.
Progress During the Past 12 Months
Landcare NSW has made significant strides in many areas of sustainable agriculture and conservation, as outlined in our 2022-2023 Annual Report. Here's a summary of their key focus areas and outcomes:
NSW Landcare Program: This program, funded by the State Government and co-delivered with Local Land Services , our major government partner, supports Landcare groups and networks across NSW, employing more than 80 part-time local and regional Landcare coordinators. These coordinators are crucial in improving local governance (of committees), communication, regional partnerships, and coordinating on-ground activities to support volunteers.
Biodiversity Conservation Trust Partnership: Landcare NSW has partnered with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust since 2017 to engage and support landholders in achieving better biodiversity conservation outcomes. This partnership focuses on raising awareness and supporting Private Land Conservation (PLC) efforts across the state, bringing more than 2000 landowners to events to understand how to participate in PLC.
Creating Canopies Project: In partnership with Greater Sydney Landcare , this project, funded by the NSW Government NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure , aims to plant trees and shrubs across Greater Sydney to increase much-needed canopy cover, and mitigate urban heat. The project's second stage plans to plant 200,000 trees by the end of 2025.
People Led Prevention Project: This pilot project, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments ( NSW Reconstruction Authority ), focuses on raising awareness and promoting the adoption of techniques for improving natural disaster preparedness across our communities. Now in the scaling stage, it aims to enhance landowners' understanding of natural hazards and risks, particularly bushfire, flood, and landslip risks.
Eat Dirt: The "Eat Dirt Program" at Bellingen High School, concluded, and represented an innovative educational initiative, focusing on reimagining learning by incorporating outdoor experiences. This involved the rehabilitation of adjacent bushland with the aid of Bellinger Landcare and the establishment of four shade houses for plant propagation. The program also developed a teacher's kit and a short video to highlight its activities (https://bit.ly/3SSCjMf). Centered on taking students out of traditional classroom settings for one day each week, it combined conventional subjects to foster critical thinking and teamwork. The project aimed to connect students with the land (Country), nature, and each other, facilitated by collaboration with Gawa Micklo Jarrett, a local Gumbaynggirr elder, and bush regenerators. Art therapist Bronwyn Napiorkowski assisted students in managing anxiety through various activities, including garden design, journaling, and nature art. Skills in propagation, bush regeneration, and remote area firefighting were taught, alongside primal games for group cohesion and dart-based maths skill enhancement. Funded by a Black Summer Bushfire grant from the NSW Reconstruction Authority , the program successfully integrated environmental awareness, cultural connection, and personal development with NSW Department of Education .
These initiatives highlight Landcare NSW's commitment to environmental conservation, community engagement, and sustainable practices, demonstrating our substantial impact on the state's economic, ecological, and social landscape.
Challenges and Future Directions
Despite its successes, Landcare NSW faces challenges such as climate change, funding limitations, achieving biodiversity outcomes in a development and growth context, and land use conflicts. Addressing these challenges requires adaptive strategies and continued support from government and private sectors.
Looking ahead, Landcare NSW is poised to play an even more vital role in NSW's journey towards sustainability and environmental resilience. Here are our key strategic areas:
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Digitalisation: Landcare NSW is focusing on simplifying processes to allow members to concentrate on Landcare. We plan to improve data gathering, share knowledge more effectively, and streamline reporting and communications. This initiative aims to enhance interactions with partners and stakeholders without overburdening members with administrative tasks.
Natural Capital and Biodiversity: The organisation is actively working to create a robust and reliable supply chain and invest in natural capital. This involves engaging in national conversations about natural capital, shaping the establishment of natural capital markets, and implementing projects that support Landcarers in biodiversity and carbon abatement. A significant step in this direction is the creation of a seed library and tree nursery to provide a reliable supply of seeds and plants.
Cultural Change and Development: Landcare NSW emphasises developing a culture that attracts diverse people and motivates involvement across generations. This includes open discourse, trust-building, collaboration, and supporting a diversity of cultures. Leadership development is a key part of this process, where we aim to create a culture where leaders, volunteers, staff, and partners feel valued and included and want to work with us.
Grow our Investor Base: The organisation recognises the importance of a strong and diverse investor base for funding our critical work. Efforts are underway to grow and diversify this base, including exploring private and philanthropic sources and leveraging their Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status to build a broader philanthropic income stream. We are already expanding our reach across the government, becoming a preferred delivery partner.
Strengthening Foundations and Program: Landcare NSW continues to focus on proven programs, partners, and processes that have contributed to its current success. The organisation nurtures its main NSW Landcare Enabling Program, co-delivered with NSW Local Land Services , to ensure efficient and effective program delivery and collaboration with government agencies and grassroots communities.
In conclusion, Landcare NSW's impact on New South Wales is profound, encompassing environmental conservation, community engagement, and economic benefits. As environmental challenges continue to evolve, the role of Landcare NSW becomes increasingly crucial in steering the state towards a more sustainable future as the State's critical NRM delivery partner.
Your support is invaluable in achieving our vision of a sustainable and thriving environment for New South Wales. To become a member, or to read more about our annual progress, check out our website or reach out to me or any of our Team.
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NSW Government Parliament of NSW Local Land Services Landcare NSW Ryan Park MP National Landcare Network Tara Moriarty Penny Sharpe Chris Minns David Harris Aboriginal Affairs NSW Leslie Williams MP Linda Burney MP Australian Government Murray Watt Tanya Plibersek Andrew Leigh MP Anthony Albanese Australian Institute of Company Directors Governance Institute of Australia Ag Institute Australia (AIA) University of Sydney University of Melbourne