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From little things big things grow - Australia’s unique Landcare movement needs Government support to act on climate change and stop the alarming decline of our environment.

The National Landcare Network is ramping up its advocacy efforts at the federal level, seeking $50 million per year over five years for Community Landcare to scale up its grassroots efforts taking climate action in local communities, driving sustainable agriculture and on ground environmental outcomes across Australia.

The full gathering of Australia’s unique community Landcare movement met in Canberra last week with a commitment to scale up efforts to address the climate emergency and extinction crisis from the grassroots up.

National Landcare Network (NLN) Chair Dr Louise Duxbury said the Landcare movement has gained momentum, drawing on a thirty-plus year legacy and is now focused on delivering real outcomes to stop further decline to our environment.

"We are a community of leaders. Together we stand behind First Nations leaders and gather momentum in the face of the urgent dual challenges of the climate emergency and extinction crisis. Resilience is our job, and in our diversity there is strength,” National Landcare Network Chair Dr Louise Duxbury told the Forum.

But alarm bells are ringing for Australia’s unique Landcare movement.

In June last year Dr Ian Cresswell, a co-author of Australia’s latest State of the Environment Report, raised the alarm for the environment and for Landcare funding.

 "Although funding for Landcare has dropped over the past 10 years, it remains a critical on-ground activity for addressing the State of the Environment” Dr Cresswell said.

The National Landcare Network, with the support and endorsement of its eight state member bodies and their thousands of members, has delivered a direct ask to the Government, seeking $50 million per year over five years. With Landcare's a proven track record, this investment means a return to regional communities of up to $350 million.

National Landcare Network CEO Jim Adams said this funding will allow Landcare across the country to leverage their unique network, to work in partnership with Government, community and the private sector to prevent even further biodiversity loss, act on climate change ensuring integrity in carbon and nature repair markets, to deliver better environmental outcomes across Australia. 

“Having a government that acknowledges environmental issues and supports community-led solutions is a positive first step.  This support will provide us with the capacity and stability to undertake our vital work supporting and mobilising more than 6000 Landcare groups across the country,” Mr Adams said.

“We know the scale of work that needs to be done, and we are ready to work with the Federal Government as a delivery partner to act on climate change, biodiversity loss bringing resilience into communities and our landscapes. Our recent success in delivering millions in Bushfire Recovery funds through grassroots Landcare groups for communities across much of fire affected Australia showed what it takes to deliver directly to local needs,” Mr Adams said. 

Dr Duxbury agreed: “The community Landcare network is in a terrific position to bring diverse communities together in the outback, the towns and the cities across land and water landscapes,” said Dr Duxbury. 

“If Landcare did not already exist, it would need to be created to deal with the climate and species extinction challenges we face and to do it in a positive community Landcare way. 

“We left the recent National Landcare Network gathering feeling inspired and motivated to unite even more strongly with the Government, businesses, philanthropic and other stakeholder groups to accelerate positive change on the scale demanded by our times.  We are calling for Government, business and community to step up side by side to do what is needed.

“The business we are in is positive social change, representing thousands of Australians. Change is possible, with a focus on abundance not scarcity.

“I am interested in transformational change because that is the change that needs to happen. People need to know where they fit in this landscape. That is what Landcare groups do. We may be small individually, but together we are powerful," Dr Duxbury said

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