Partnering to engage primary producers
Partnering to engage primary producers
Tweed Landcare Inc and Tweed Shire Council co-delivering primary producer events
Local Links - Stronger Communities -
LLCI033-05
The issue
Traditionally Tweed Landcare Inc. has focussed on engaging conservation landholders to support the delivery of projects that focus on landscape connectivity and threatened species. To achieve this we have worked closely with the Tweed Shire Council Biodiversity and River Health Programs.
Through our Strategic Planning process we recognised that limited engagement with primary producers was reducing our potential impact. In the Tweed almost 50% of land is managed for primary production.
To achieve the goals of Tweed Landcare Inc. we must engage with these land managers. At the same time we acknowledged that our strong working relationship with TSC did not extend to the Sustainable Agriculture Program.
The solution
With no ‘runs on the board’ and a limited operational budget we realised that we needed to partner with an established organisation.
We initiated discussions about how Tweed Landcare Inc. and TSC Sustainable Agriculture Program could work together. After discussing our human and financial resources we agreed to co-delivery a series of workshops series for Tweed primary producers.
The proposal was:
- all workshops costs were funded by the TSC Sustainable Agricultural Program
- Tweed Landcare Inc. staff provide support through the development of the workshop programs, promotion and on-ground support on the day.
The impact
In 2018 we developed and delivered four workshops:
- Dung beetles identification and Management -20 participants ( April 2018)
- Climate adaptation and renewables workshop- 45 participants (June 2018)
- Learning from nature- 23 participants (June 2018)
- Cultivating soil knowledge to build better soils - 30 participants (November 2018)
Through the co-delivery of these events Tweed Landcare Inc. has been building relationships with Tweed primary producers. Connections made at these events have led to new Tweed Landcare Inc. members, submission of Landholder Expressions of Interest (for future Tweed Landcare Inc. projects) and special membership offers for soil testing.
We have also built a stronger relationship with TSC Sustainable Agriculture Program and laid the foundations for more significant partnerships in the future engagement including the co- delivery of on-ground projects.
Learnings
Two organisation with limited resources can work together to achieve good outcomes.
Key facts
- partnership
- 4 workshops
- 118 participants