Successfull Landcare Forum

Last Thursday 25th March, the network held what we hope to be our annual Landcare forum in Port Fairy.

About 15 people from key groups in the region & interested farmers participated in exploring the past, present & future of Landcare in our region. Participants heard 3 presentations on :

• Challenges & Trends in Landcare
• Environmental Volunteerism
• The Impact of Climate Change on Farming in the Region.

They also participated in exploring the challenges currently facing Landcare in our region & potential solutions to these issues.

All in all it was a great day. Lots of opportunities for networking and for finding new ways forward for individual groups. Key issues to arise out of the day include :

• How to sustain Landcare in the face of funding uncertainty
  
• How to recruit more young people into Landcare
• How to use local volunteer groups to support Landcare groups & Landcare projects
• New roles for Landcare in food, energy, water, carbon & improving human health.

Lots of ideas arose out of the days explorations and discussions and it is anticipated that these will make a usefull contribution to rejuvinating Landcare in our region.

Presentations from the forum, will be availible on the website in the next fortnight here : http://www.basalttobay.org.au/ . We hope that this is the first of many annnual Landcare forums for Basalt to Bay. We anticipate that the next forum will be held in September 2011.

Thanks to our sponsors the Glenelg Hopkins CMA and the Department of Planning & Community Development.