Dear WA land and coastcarers

I am keen to update our WA Landcare Network (WALN) Members and the wider WA land and coastcare community on a national landcare issue. This issue is important to community groups and individuals because strong national landcare leadership is vital to attracting funding and building community landcare capacity across Australia.

For close to three years, WA Landcare Network, together with the National Landcare Network and other State and Territory peak landcare organisations, have been negotiating with Landcare Australia to form a single national representative organisation for community landcare.

Historically, the National Landcare Network and its State and Territory organisations have had the mandate to act as the national body and voice for community Landcare. Landcare Australia Limited, on the other hand, was established to raise funds from the corporate sector and undertake marketing activities to support the work of grassroots Landcare.

The merger of these two organisations presented an exciting opportunity to bring together national representation, advocacy, fundraising and promotion into one coordinated body, providing cohesion and unity.

I am disappointed to advise, that after much discussion, the merger negotiations have been discontinued. The major sticking point being a reluctance of Landcare Australia to support true representation of the Australian landcare community in the new organisation, including a voting membership and a representative Board where the community voice was ensured for the long term.

For the National Landcare Network and the State and Territory peak organisations (including WALN), representation of Australia’s 5400 community landcare groups, and the willingness of any new organisation to have a culture of genuine consultation and collaboration with grassroots groups was vital. For this reason, our organisations have made the hard decision to walk away from the current merger discussions.

The continuing role of WA Landcare Network

Despite these difficulties at the national level, I want to assure you that the WA Landcare Network will continue to be the peak representative body for community land and coastcare in Western Australia.

We are working hard to advocate at a State and Federal level for increases in funding for land and coastcare and we are committed to genuine consultation with our members and the wider landcare community on matters that are of interest and benefit to the community land and coastcare effort.

We will also continue our important roles with the National Landcare Network and other State and Territory peak organisation to represent, advocate and support community land and coastcare at a national level.

How can you help?

The national situation is complex and WALN knows that there is little land and coastcare groups can do to assist the situation.  WALN is, however keen to help you understand the roles at the national level and reassure you that we are continuing to represent your interests and consult directly on matters of importance to the landcare sector in WA.

WALN urges you to make the time in your busy schedules to consider what you want from your national leaders and organisations. We hope landcare groups will take the time to have considered discussion about the merits of national cohesion, unity and true representation and get in touch to voice your views. This will help WALN to be confident that we are accurately reflecting your views.

You can send your ideas, questions or comments on the national landcare situation or any other landcare matters to enquiries@landcarewa.org.au at any time.  We have also put the national landcare discussion on our list of topics for our Landcare Checks In online chat sessions.  Get registered now https://airtable.com/shrqXGGpkwblW0Wcj to receive the fortnightly zoom meeting link and discussion topic.

WALN encourages land and coastcare group to continue to work with Landcare Australia if relationships, partnerships and funding agreements are beneficial to your work. WALN will be taking Landcare Australia’s requests for future engagement on a case by case basis, only proceeding when we can ensure that they are in the best interests for the WA landcare community and make best use of our capacity and resources.

Mick Davis
Chair, WA Landcare Network

8 June 2020