Landcare Coordinators/Facilitators from all around Victoria met in Castlemaine on Tuesday the 28th April, to explore the concept of forming a Landcare network. The forum was organised and facilitated by Ross Colliver from the Landcare & Community Engagement Unit of DSE. Around 35 people turned out from a wide range of groups - some departmental, some community. Key themes to emerge from the forum included :- The benefits of forming a network
- Challenges to forming a network
- How to engage stakeholders in forming a network
- Different regions have different styles of network
- There is 'no one model fits all' approach for networks
- Communication & relationships are the keys to successfull networks
- With current funding scarcity, only well organised networks will survive.
From the days dialogue, it seems that the picture of a succfull network, is one that :- Has a clear structure & function
- Has a steering committee or board with clear roles
- Has good communication with individual Landcare groups
- Respects individual Landcare group autonomy, while looking at the big picture
- Has multiple funding sources
- Has a well thought out strategic plan, that has considered the views of the network and Landcare groups
- Has a proactive coordinator and good communication between staff and the board.
The event was a great opportunity to network with other people in a similar situation. The forum will meet again in July and August.
The Glenelg Hopkins CMA & Carbon Smart officially launched their carbon pool partnership in Hamilton yesterday. The new program will see the CMA helping to facilitate Carbon Smart partnerships with land holders in the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment. Minimum requirements to be eligible for the scheme are 10 ha of native (local providence)/biodiverse reveg planted after 1st January 1990 (min height 2m). Carbon Smart can also fund reveg works. All participants must have their projects pass a comprehensive assessment and sign up to leaving the carbon (trees) on site for 130 years. Participants recieve an annual 60 % of the total sale price of their carbon.
Matthew Reddy (Manager of Carbon Smart) said that the program will target larger holdings first, then move towards smaller holdings later. Matthew also suggested that the Glenelg Hopkins area was the only area of 56 regions in the state to take up the program. Which means that all Victorian corporate sponsorships for Carbon Smart will come into our region, until such time as other regions come on board.Further information about Carbon Smart can be found on their website http://www.carbonsmart.com.au/or by contacting the GHCMA on 55712526.
Basalt to Bay Landcare Network and Glenelg Hopkins CMA, will be co-hosting a series of activities later in the year, aimed at revamping interest in Landcare and supporting current 'Landcarers' in our region. Activities are set to include shelter belt tours, designing the landscape bbq's, direct seeding field days and 1 or 2 catchment tours looking a wide spectrum of environmental works in the B2B area. Thus far areas to be included in shelter belt tours and bbq's include the Moyne area (around Port fairy, Rosebrook, Toolong & Killarney), the Merri catcment area (Purnim, Warrnamboo & Dennington) and Mortlake area (Mortlake, Woorndoo, Caramut & surrounds)I hope to post further details in the next month or so, once we have confirmed some additional details. Publicity (inlcuding flyers) will be distributed about 6-7 weeks prior to each event.
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