The National Landcare Conference is being held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre from 3-5 September 2012. This year’s conference will take place in Landcare Week and will be an exciting opportunity to bring together people that are interested in creating sustainable landscapes for the 21st century. The 2012 conference theme “Landcare- the future in our hands”. Submissions of presentation abstracts or poster displays are invited by Tuesday 12 June 2012.
The theme for this year’s Queensland State Landcare Conference is ‘Paddocks, Backyards and Balconies… Together, making a difference’. The conference aims to take affirmative steps towards the future of landcare. It will be open to community groups outside the landcare sector, to provide fresh insight on how to develop strong, vibrant and sustainable groups.
Rick Farley was an extraordinary man. As head of the Cattlemen’s Union and National Farmers’ Federation, a key figure in the Landcare movement and a public campaigner for Indigenous rights and Reconciliation, Farley had an insider’s view of many key political and social changes in Australia over his thirty years in the public eye. Farley had a straightforward mission: for all Australians ‘to care a lot better for our country’. When he died in in a tragic accident in 2006, aged 53, the overwhelming grief and heartfelt tributes spoke volumes about his achievements and his much-admired ability to find a way through adversity and complex negotiations. A Way Through: The Life of Rick Farley is the engrossing story of a unique man whose determination and sense of justice has left a lasting legacy for many Australians.
In his review of the book, Andrew Campbell finds that “This excellent biography illuminates an extraordinary contribution and a fascinating man”. Andrew observes that “In Rick Farley we lost a real national leader, one of the most significant Australians of the late 20th century” and asks, where are the brave leaders like Rick Farley now?
Landcare Week is an awareness campaign for landcare and coastcare groups, farmers embracing sustainable farm management, ‘friends of’ groups, bushcare, rivercare, dunecare, Junior Landcare and any volunteer group that manages environmental issues at a local level. The purpose of the campaign is to assist groups in the landcare movement around Australia build capacity, create awareness in their community and encourage participation by attracting volunteers.
Nominations are now open for the 2011 State and Territory Landcare Awards, giving everyone across Australia the opportunity to honour the people who make a positive difference to their local environment. See Your State and Territory Landcare Award Information for closing dates and nomination processes (note that nominations in some States/Territories close as soon as 27 May).
Registrations are now open for the 2011 Queensland Landcare Conference. The conference includes a keynote presentation from Dr. Linda Selvey, CEO Greenpeace Australia Pacific which will address the threats to Australia’s food security, including climate change, water shortages, changes in land use and overfishing; and some of the strategies we will need to apply to address them. The event is expected to attract around 250 landcarers from across Queensland and further afield as it explores the theme generations of guardians, and delegates will also have the opportunity to choose from more than 31 concurrent presentations already confirmed and many more to come.
The 2011 Queensland Landcare Conference, which will be held in Ayr from 20 – 23 September is set to focus on the generations of guardians responsible for land and culture stewardship across the state. Conference host Lower Burdekin Landcare Association is now calling for expressions of interest to deliver presentations and workshops for the conference. Nominations close Sunday 13 February and final abstracts and biographies must be submitted by Tuesday 15 March. For further information on the conference visit 2011 Queensland Landcare Conference. More information on the call for papers is available by emailing landcare2011@wombatcreative.com.au or phoning Wombat Creative on 07 5538 5109.
Sydney’s Nature Carers (SNaC) is a network of people who take an active interest in the natural environment within the Sydney metropolitan region. The network allows on-ground environmental groups and interested community members to share ideas and knowledge, and discuss their experiences with others who are similarly involved. A regular E-News Update is sent to members. There is no cost involved in joining. To find out more visit the SNaC Yahoo! Group.