What is Landcare?
Landcare is a conservation movement that brings local communities, private corporations and government agencies together to support hands-on action to promote sustainable land and water management. Landcare combines the following:
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personal responsibility for the environment
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“neighbors helping neighbors” via community-based volunteer groups
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integrated, scientific management of working lands
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good group process
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ecosystem maintenance and restoration
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corporate funding of conservation projects
Key Characteristics of Landcare
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Neighbors helping neighbors – literal neighbors or “communities of interest”
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Personal responsibility and group ownership -- Each person feels personally responsibility for care of the land. Landcare groups identify their own problems and craft their own solutions.
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Scientific approach – with help from landscape architects, soil conservationists, biologists, etc.
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Whole-systems thinking -- an ecosystem-based or “integrated natural resource management” approach. None of the neighbors acting alone can solve the problems. This leads to a “We’re all in this together” mindset.
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Effective facilitation and coordination – via landcare coordinators/facilitators
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Multiple funding streams -- with accountability and flexibility
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Representative organization structure – supporting broad ownership of decisions and a high level of trust up and down the line
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Apolitical and non-partisan approaches – “middle of the road,” leading to a low level of divisiveness and strong support from “all sides of the aisle”
Benefits of Landcare
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Putting communities in charge of their own local environment leads to preservation of the natural assets upon which rural economies depend. Landcare is highly replicable, and is a key element of sustainable development at the local, regional, state and national levels. Landcare specifically adds value to rural communities in the following areas:
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A scientific, documented approach to environmental management of working lands (farms, forests) and urban lands can add economic value to the land (increased productivity & sales price, reduced environmental liability, etc.)
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Landcare draws corporate resources into land management via national branding of its logo
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For every dollar of cash invested in projects, landcare leverages $3.50 in volunteer labor
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Personal responsibility for the land -- and grassroots ownership of challenges and solutions -- builds a societal land ethic or stewardship ethic. This in turn provides broad public support for preservation and restoration of natural assets
Landcare Groups
A landcare group is a community-based group of volunteers working on conservation projects that contribute to environmental, social and economic outcomes. Landcare groups in Australia select and carry out their own projects, with funding assistance from corporations, government and other sources.
Origins
Begun in Australia in 1989 to restore severely damaged ecosystems “one watershed at a time,” landcare now is carried out by some 6,000 community landcare and coastcare groups in coastal, rural and urban areas of Australia. Eighty-five percent of Australians recognize the official landcare logo.
Learn More About Landcare
Please visit the official website LANDCARECENTRAL, which serves as a gateway for Landcare education and activities.
Email Peggy Tadej, Director of Research and Grants or call 202.986.1032 Ext: 224