We represent, strengthen, support and grow Tasmania's community Landcare movement
What is Landcare Tasmania?
We are the peak body representing grassroots community Landcare in Tasmania. As a legal entity, we are:
- a not-for-profit, non-government organisation and a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC)
- listed on the Register of Environmental Organisations, with the Tasmanian Landcare Fund as our public fund eligible to receive tax-deductible donations (DGR fund)
Learn about our Organisational Structure
What do we do?
Since 1994, we have been supporting local communities to care for our land and coasts, farms and reserves, waterways and wildlife. The Landcare community is represented by people across the whole state in over 300 member groups with over 5,000 volunteers, supported by our Individual and Associate members, partners, and donors.
An important feature of Landcare Tasmania is that our members operate independently. How they organise themselves and what they choose to work on is largely determined by them. We assist by keeping track of members interests and needs, and organising our advocacy work and services to support them. It's mostly bottom up but we also play an important role in developing coordinated approaches to important issues, for example through community awareness programs, citizen science and training, and landscape-scale projects.
Our support programs are refined annually, guided by a 5-year strategic plan, to fulfill our core objectives, and work towards our vision and mission.
Our Vision: All Tasmanian communities are empowered and enabled to care for the land and water of lutruwita / Tasmania
Our Mission: We build resilience and capacity to protect, restore and manage Tasmania’s landscapes by connecting, supporting and educating the community
Our Objectives:
|
Promote Community Landcare |
|
Connect people and organisations with an interest in Landcare |
|
Support Landcarers with administration, information and funding |
|
Represent community Landcare as an advocacy body |
|
Establish and maintain a public fund, the Tasmanian Landcare Fund, for the specific purpose of supporting the environmental objects/purposes of Landcare Tasmania |
Learn about our programs Learn about our Strategic Plan Read our Annual Reports
National Context
Landcare Tasmania, along with all the other state and territory Landcare organisations, is represented nationally by the National Landcare Network.
Image thanks to the National Landcare Network
We are frequently asked if we are a branch of Landcare Australia, so it is worth clarifying here that Landcare Australia Ltd is a separate organisation. We sometimes work with Landcare Australia, in particular to assist in rolling out the Tasmanian contingent of the National State & Territory Landcare Awards every two years.
History
Grassroots community action to care for the land emerged decades before the national Landcare movement was officially recognised. The term 'Landcare' was coined in the 1980's in Victoria, and through the awareness-raising efforts of many individuals and organisations, including the National Farmers Federation and the Australian Conservation Foundation, the "Decade of Landcare" was launchd in 1989 by the Hawke Government launched with bi-partisan support, with $320 million to fund the National Landcare Programme. The National Landcare Programme continues today, and contributes towards a small portion of Landcare Tasmania's core funding via the National Landcare Network.
Community Landcare was active in Tasmania for many years before Landcare Tasmania formed as an incorporated association in 1994.
Images: Awareness of tree decline in the Midlands in the 1990's was one of the first big issues that raised the profile of Landcare in Tasmania.
Below: Download our 25 year anniversary timeline!
