The annual Landcare Week, which runs 2-8 September, is special this year as it’s the environmental entity’s 30th birthday.
Landcare Australia estimates that since 1989 it’s evolved into a movement of 6,000 groups and hundreds of thousands of volunteers who perform sustainable agricultural practices and conservation activities, while also developing and uplifting their communities.
Its list of 30 things “landcarers” do includes planting native shrubs, trees and grasses, mitigate climate change by protecting and stabilising beaches and sand dunes, and help farmers and landholders to tackle erosion and prevent salinity.
In one example, Victoria’s Moyne Shire Council and Basalt to Bay Landcare Network have partnered since 2010 to improve the Green Line railway reserve.
The 110ha land parcel runs almost 40km between Koroit and Minhamite and features multiple rare and threatened flora and fauna communities.
Council and Landcare have combined resources to remove outlying large pine trees that hindered native species, including by sharing contractors to reduce costs and site damage, and do more for less.
“Working together where council has an adjoining road reserve is building a community environment asset for the future,” Basalt to Bay Landcare Network Facilitator Lisette Mill said.