WALN Committee Members and staff represented WA landcare at the 2018 National Landcare Conference in Brisbane last week.

The WALN team of Keith Bradby, Helen Watkins, Mick Davis, Louise Duxbury and Blair Darvill headed east last week to learn, contribute and network amongst landcarers from around the country.

Prior to the Conference WALN met with our counterparts from other states at National Landcare Network Board and Members Council Meetings. A number of key outcomes were achieved through these meetings:-

– Input to finalising a MOU between the National Landcare Network (and its members states) with Landcare Australia

– Participation in strategic planning and prioritising for landcare in Australia

– Working towards developing review and policy papers for advising government on future landcare programs

– Networking with landcare representatives from all states and territories

Key highlights from the Conference

 

 

 

Learning where all the delegates at the Conference came from. Understandably there were a lot from the east coast!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The interest and support from government and groups for the formation of a single national landcare organisation through National Landcare Network and Landcare Australia.

 

Professor Mark Howden, Director ANU Climate Change Institute ‘Towards a Climate Change Strategy for Landcare
highlighting the alarming findings of the recent IPCC report and the opportunities for landcare’s involvement and leadership.

 

 

 

A huge focus on regenerative agriculture and agriculture in general especially from government speakers, while this is good there could be better inclusion of other sectors such as urban, peri-urban and coastal in future.

The focus on community and the reminder that it only takes one or two concerned and keen local people to start something, and that this can turn into a groundswell of support and involvement, ultimately leading to land that is better cared for and protected.

 

 

Using virtual reality to take people into the bush – Mick Davis,WALN Committee member is onto something here. He had people queuing up to see what was going on at the NLN stall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women in Landcare
An awesome panel discussion.
Excellent points made on how undervalued women are in landcare and agriculture.
Things are a-changing !!!

 

 

 

 

 

Keith Bradby, CEO Gondwana Link
Telling the Gondwana Link story

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National Landcare Awards Gala Dinner and the amazing calibre of all the finalists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Australia’s Spinifex Land Management winning the
Indigenous Land Management Award in the 2018 National Landcare Awards.

The “Landcare Song” performed by Lenore & Kenneth Hodgekinson
from the North Belconnen Landcare Group