Landcarers Join The War Against Waste

Landcare is all about weed eradication and tree planting, isn’t it?

“What’s Landcare got to do with waste issues?” you’re wondering.

Well, one of the things I love about Landcare is that it’s always reinventing itself. Whilst the first Landcare groups were set up to address land degradation issues like weeds and erosion, Landcare is actually a way of bringing people together who share a common problem and want to do something about that problem. Landcare is what the people want it to be; it’s grassroots action.

For many people, the common problem has become the huge amount waste being generated and the rising amount of plastic in the landscape.

This was clearly the case at the Intrepid Landcare Leadership Retreat on the weekend at Wilson’s Promontory National Park, where twenty bright and motivated 18-35 year old Gippslanders shared they had a strong interest in zero waste.

Intrepid Landcare is not an ordinary on the ground ‘Landcare group’. It’s an adventurous organisation that empowers young people to lead on stuff that matters to them, and leadership retreats are one of the main ways they do this.

As a local leader, I was invtied to the retreat to share my story and connect with individuals so that I may help propel their project ideas forward in the future by sharing networks and collaborating. I was thrilled to have this opportunity because community engagement lights a fire in my belly and Landcare is such a fantastic program. I should know, I’ve spent a good chunk of the last 15 years collaborating with Landcare staff, groups and individuals in various personal and professional roles.

 

 

The Gippsland Intrepid Landcare participants are spending the next few weeks planning their adventurous environmental projects (not only waste related), so if you’d like to get involved, contact Kathleen Brack who is the Regional Landcare Program Officer at the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority on kathleenb@wgcma.vic.gov.au or go to the Landcare in Gippsland Facebook page.

One project that is already getting off the ground is Jordan Rowand’s Gippsland Girls Network for girls who want to live more sustainably in the Sale area. You can find Gippsland Girls Network on Instagram and Facebook or attend the Vision Board Night where Jordan will be launching the Gippsland Girls Network.

I look forward to sharing more details of the projects that emerge from these passionate people.

 

This post was sponsored by the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. In no way have I been guided on what to say; all words and opinions expressed are my own. For more information on sponsored posts please see my disclosure statement.