19th December 2023 | 

Words from Landcare Tasmania CEO Peter Stronach as we reflect on our biggest year yet. 

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Dear Members and Supporters of Landcare in Tasmania,

As we reflect on the closing chapters of the year, I am filled with immense pride at the remarkable community of members and supporters within our network, both in lutruwita/Tasmania and beyond.

There has been a tremendous increase in active community participation in Landcare across Tasmania.  We are growing in response to the growth of the network through our Landscape Restoration, Outreach, and Education Programs while ensuring that Member Support and Advocacy remain at the heart of what we do.

This year we held 27 workshops in the community, our membership increased by over 100 members, and we supported many member-led projects statewide.  

A big thankyou to all the incredible volunteers, community members, environmental organisations, councils, government bodies and partners who we worked with in 2023. 

During this time of celebration and reflection, it's so important for us to recognise our achievements. To look at our landscapes and people and see what might have been if our local patches had not been cared for.

Whether it be Knocklofty, Trevallyn Reserve, the Meander River, the Leven Catchment, or our precious coasts, your local patch, without the protection and restoration efforts of dedicated individuals like you it would be an extremely different scenario of aesthetic, health and productivity. If care had not been taken, what would these places look like? Our ecosystems would be under considerably more stress and struggling to support us.

But because of the dedication of people like all of us that are trying to live sustainably, we have a chance at reversing the degradation and disconnection that impacts our environment. We are all working together to support long-term protection, maintenance, and repair of the natural environment we live in and rely on.

We refuse to wait for the bad to happen, the salinity to be visible, the soils to erode, the species to decline or disappear, the ecosystems to abandon us.

By bringing people from different backgrounds and generations together, we create a powerful force for positive change.

We'd like to acknowledge all of our members, partners, donors, and supporters who contribute to our collective positive impact, and we look forward to continuing to nurture this momentum into 2024 and beyond.

Business and government are now more willing to support the restoration and stewardship activities that are needed to reverse biodiversity and climate change impacts. Landcare is more than just planting trees or restoring ecosystems. It’s also about preserving the wisdom of our elders and passing it down to the next generation, and the sharing of this knowledge across a broad network.

It’s about learning from, listening to, and showing utmost respect for local Aboriginal stewards and the traditional ecological knowledge that has sustained Country for countless generations.

Together, lets learn from and share the Landcare wisdom and skills that have developed through years of experience, and include our community, especially our youth, as we work together to conserve our food, beautiful landscapes, beloved species and our people.

Looking forward to working with you in the new year,

Peter Stronach

Chief Executive Officer

Landcare Tasmania Inc.