It is definitely not too late for our members of state parliament to have Landcare on their agenda before March 11!

Some easy steps to keep them informed and help raise the profile of Landcare:

Frequently ask Questions here

Get your story into media:	Involve your local MPs in any events over the coming weeks so they are with you in media supporting landcare.  Contacts for MPs by electorate, party, or name can be found here Ask your members to include MPs in events and promote in media. Make a special push to tell your story with or without MPs and specifically link to landcare.
Meet MPs:	Meet with your local members of all political colours to discuss their support for landcare.  Ask them to put your requests for landcare support up to Ministers. Ask your members to meet with local MPs.
Letters and emails:	Write to MPs outlining the benefits of landcare and requesting their support into the future.
Online:	Use Facebook, websites, newsletters, your network of emails to show the great work you do and why Landcare hits the mark and should be supported into the future by the State government.  Provide the summary of what Landcare needs on all online platforms.  Summary below

What does community landcare in WA need?

1. Sustained, base-level support for landcare groups (estimated at $8 m per year)

Sustained professional support through a network of up to 70 local community based Landcare Support Officers; to plan, deliver and manage landcare projects, leverage additional funding and support, and bring about long change in their communities with sustainable farming and biodiversity improvements and building community resilience and capacity.

2.  Sustained funding for landcare works (estimated at a minimum of $20 m per year)

A long-term policy commitment of state government to landcare is needed. A minimum of  3 – 5 year funding cycles with a forward rolling plan to enable local and regional landcare groups to plan for the future. Bilateral agreement with Commonwealth to secure funding commitments from both state and federal government annually with funding directed to those undertaking the work at the local level.

3. A WA Landcare Advisory Council or similar body to advise state government on landcare

We recommend the setting up of an advisory body made up of an equal number of representatives from the community and government reporting to the WA Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council. Such a body is conspicuously absent and is needed to provide timely, informed, independent policy advice direct to government on landcare, management of natural resources and community capacity building in Western Australia.

For more information contact:

WALN Secretary – helen.watkins@landcarewa.org.au | 0428 514 292

WALN Vice Chair – keith.bradby@landcarewa.org.au  | 0427 085 008

The WALN is supported with funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.