WALN representatives attended the NLN Council and Board Meetings in Adelaide last week.                    Being in a room with thirty or so colleagues from each state and territory in Australia, deeply entrenched in their landcare patches from local to state levels, was very inspiring. Collectively the National Landcare Network represents approximately 4800 community landcare groups and 145 000 active staff and volunteers that get dirt in their nails. These opportunities remind us of the amount of people involved and the work that is carried out across the nation, and how important it is that these groups are well supported and have the capacity to do what they need to do. These meetings and WALN’s involvement with the NLN are part of our role in being the collective voice for community landcare in WA and taking that voice to the national level. It also helps us to bring back good ideas from around Australia that can be used at home, such as the customised and affordable insurance policy that we recently launched here in WA.

A very brief summary of the preceding’s from the meetings include;

• Discussions with Landcare Australia Limited to work towards formation of a single National Landcare organisation and one unified voice to represent community landcare.
• Compiling feedback from the states and territories on the NLP2 program for future discussions with federal decision makers
• Updates and information from member groups’ projects and actions
• Assistance  and updates on planning for the National Landcare Conference in October
• Compiling nationwide information on the links and benefits between our health, economy and landcare
• Improving governance processes and further developing strategic and planning frameworks
• Planning meetings with federal decision makers
• Personal accounts from landholders dealing with the plight of the Murray River and their campaign to see more water enter the natural system

As we all know, sometimes the best outcomes are achieved during the breaks or after the formal preceding’s have taken place (perhaps over a quiet beverage or two). Here you get to know a bit more about the people of landcare across the country, and the culture and bond of the NLN has developed and strengthened over the three years from these face to face meetings. Therefore members of the NLN are connecting a finely weaved web ‘from the grass roots and up to the tallest shoots’ across this country that can only help in the movements growth, longevity and capability.

If you’d like to find out more about the National Landcare Network and the eight state and territory organisations that make up its membership, visit www.nln.org.au  or contact Keith Bradby – NLN Board Member, WALN Chair E: keith.bradby@landcarewa.org.au OR Miranda Gardener – NLN Executive Officer  E: communications@nln.org.au