Longstanding Collaboration the Key to Landcare Success
Landcare and Local Land Services in the Central Tablelands and Central West regions continue to work together as part of the new NSW Landcare Program.
Collaborations - LP 016_R001
The issue
Over many years Landcare and natural resource management agencies and authorities have built relationships and worked collaboratively across both the Central Tablelands and Central West regions. Until recently Regional Landcare Facilitators have been instrumental in supporting the Landcare community from grassroots groups through to Regional Landcare Networks.
Significant changes to the federal program in 2018 saw the RLF role shift towards primary industry focused support and revision of the role to Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator. This shift has posed both opportunities and challenges to the Landcare community across the state. The opportunity for Landcare arising from these changes is access to an increased range of sustainable agriculture initiatives provided by the Local Land Services RALFs. However, the challenge is how to continue to broadly support Landcare so as to maintain and build community participation and engagement across the Central Tablelands and Central West regions.
The solution
The 2019 -2023 Landcare NSW Program aims to fill this service gap across NSW with twelve new Regional Landcare Coordinator (RLC) positions. In the Central Tablelands and Central West regions respectively RLCs Sharon Cunial and Mel Kiel are working closely with LLS RALFs Liz Davis and Rohan Leach. Together they are leveraging better outcomes for Landcare through sharing knowledge and experience, pooling funding, planning and delivering a range of activities for local coordinators, committees and groups.
Just prior to COVID-19 restrictions Regional Landcare Networks, that is Local Coordinators funded by the NSW Landcare Program and their host Committee members, and LLS staff came together for a cross regional Landcare gathering held at Lake Burrendong. The event was an opportunity to come together and build relationships, understand each other’s strengths and needs, and to have some fun as a team. Since social restrictions were applied, Landcare and the LLS have adapted to coordinate online cross regional training in social media and ecological management of Box Gum Grassy Woodland.
The impact
Maintaining this cross regional relationship between Landcare and the LLS RALFs is essential in maintaining corporate knowledge in the regions, ensures that limited funds are stretched further and that more opportunities exist at every level of Landcare to participate meaningfully and build enduring levels of capacity. Planning is underway to co-deliver resilience and leadership training and a regenerative agriculture themed program to Landcare Networks and groups across both regions.
Key facts
- Collaboration between the new Regional Landcare Coordinators and LLS RALFs shares long-held local knowledge, networks and experience.
- Working together leverages funding and increases opportunities for the Landcare Community to be engaged and participate.
- Co-design and delivery are an efficient method to support and build the capacity of Landcare coordinators and their host committees across both regions.