Landcare Australia conducted a national survey to explore the challenges, opportunities and motivations within landcare groups across the country, with the results published on Monday, August 4.
The Kingborough Chronicle contacted representatives of some of Kingborough’s local landcare groups for their perspective on the survey.
78 per cent of survey respondents said that after participating in landcare activities they had a more positive social connection to people in their community.
Kingborough Landcare Network (KLN) President Susan Price agreed.
KLN is an umbrella organisation for the various landcare groups across the Kingborough municipality and Susan said the individual groups all reported a feeling of social connection.
“It brings people together,” she said.
“You’re looking after your local environment and you learn a lot while caring for our environment.”
Kingborough Council is an active supporter of Kingborough’s landcare groups, supplying native trees, shrubs and groundcover for the volunteers to plant as well as offering expert advice and knowledge from their environment staff.
“We couldn’t do all we do without them,” Susan said.
Whitewater Creek Landcare Group Coordinator Jenny Forward was motivated to start her group after she was spurred by a platypus she was attempting to rescue.
This inspired her to learn more about the species and care for their environment.
“A sense of community is really important with all the trouble there is in the world,” Jenny said.
“Just being able to do something positive in your local area is an incredibly positive experience.”
The survey found that 56 per cent of respondents reported improved physical and mental wellbeing.
“It’s a good way to get people outdoors in nature, which has such a positive impact on physical and mental health,” Jenny said.
“The volunteers tell us what a wonderful time they have and they keep coming back.”
Whilst there is plenty of interest in landcare groups, with over 6000 groups across Australia and an estimated 100,000+ volunteers, the survey showed that over 50 per cent of volunteers are over 65 years of age, and about three quarters (72 per cent) of respondents said it was getting harder to find new volunteers.
Susan said KLN had conducted a local survey and this has been an ongoing challenge for all the landcare groups in Kingborough.
“We work on selected weekends, and sometimes younger people and families have other things going on,” she said.
“However, some groups have had parents bringing their children, or teenagers have come with their grandparents so they’re working alongside each other, and it’s a really nice morning.
“I would really encourage people to look up which groups are in their local area and join in.”
There are 27 landcare groups throughout the Kingborough municipality, which can be found on this link: https://www.landcaretas.org.au/find-a-group
“Joining plugs you not just into a local group, but a broader community,” Susan said.
“Our state is really beautiful, it’s unique and there’s a growing interest in contributing to the care of Tasmania’s environment and wildlife.”
Jenny shared that she is excited for Whitewater Creek Landcare Group’s first official working bee, which will be held on Sunday, August 10 from 10am to 12noon.
They will be meeting where the Whitewater Creek trail splits, accessible by the footpath between 37 and 39 Whitewater Crescent.
