Glittering Landcare: Bush Fruits

Passion Mashin’ Landcare & the GLBTIQ Community

The issue

Weed invasion, poor riparian vegetation connectivity, biodiversity and water quality in Slaters Creek, a tributary of the Wilsons River in North Lismore, Northern NSW
Declining participation in long-running local Landcare group
Social isolation in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans*, Intersex, Queer (GLBTIQ+) community in rural and regional areas, leading to higher rates of suicide and mental health issues, combined with a lack of active outdoor opportunities for social interaction for the regional GLBTI+ community

Supported development of partnership between The Tropical Fruits Inc (TF, non-profit community social club for the GLBTIQ+ community) and Lismore City Council (LCC).
Facilitated the formation of ‘Bush Fruits’, a subcommittee of TF and speciality Landcare Group for the GLBTIQ+ community, working on Slaters Creek. Social connection, physical activity and time spent in nature improves physical and mental health of participants.
Bush Fruits became a member of RLI, joined Landcare Gateway.
Close working relationships of 5 Lismore-based RLI member groups supports long-term peer-to-peer learning, and reinvigorates exisiting groups
Slaters Creek Picnic, featuring bush regen training, talks from local indigenous leaders to explain special significance of the site, site-prep for planting, information on mental health
Community Planting day planned (planting native riparian plants over 800m2 site on Slaters Creek, including a GLBTIQ+ visibility PR planting strip of rainbow flowering shrubs)

Formation of new group facilitated better connectivity between local groups, expanded network reach into new communities
Passion mash of GLBTIQ+ people interested in NRM supporting deeper connections and greater social outcomes
Engagement of new people in NRM who would otherwise have not been involved, upskilling and improving capacity for on-ground works
Supporting and reinvigorating existing groups
Restoring riparian zone of peri-urban stream under significant pressure from surrounding land uses.