Shaping the future: Victorian Landcare Forum
Elders of the Dja Dja Warrung community and the One Fire Dancers welcomed almost 300 attendees from around the state to the 2008 Victorian Landcare Forum ‘Shaping Our Future,’ held on the 29th-30th of May at the Novotel Forest Resort in Creswick.
Natural Resources Executive Director Janine Haddow said that the biennial forum was specifically designed for community members to discuss current issues affecting all Victorians such as climate change, demographic change, drought, government policy and the future directions of the community Landcare movement.
"The forum is a chance to reconnect and discuss our philosophy and ethos," said Paul Speirs from the Bass Coast Landcare Network.
The first part of the forum focussed on participants' experiences and how they illuminate strengths and limitations in Landcare's evolving ability to lead change. Landcarers from all over Victoria told their stories.
"The stories were a key component of the event, identifying lessons learnt and future directions for Landcare. It was evident that there are some shared challenges experienced by many Landcare groups and networks across the state," Ms Haddow said.
The forum also featured key note speakers Dr Rohan Nelson from the CSIRO and futurist, Neil Henson who spoke about issues emerging for Landcare into the future.
Janine said there was also an important social element to the forum, which gave community members the chance to speak socially with their peers from opposite sides of the state.
The second day of the forum saw participants get together around themes of common interest and commit to new actions that included:
- forming a Victorian Landcare Council as a formal link between the Victorian Landcare community and the government, private and non-profit sectors
- holding a 'Landcare expo' in Melbourne to bring Landcare to a Melbourne audience
developing online resources to help Landcare groups engage with Indigenous Victorians - issuing a challenge to all Landcare groups to make contact with local Indigenous groups to express their interest in being involved in NAIDOC week this year in July.
Commitments to Action, Proceedings and Stories
2008 Victorian Landcare Forum Proceedings Part 1 (PDF - 1.9 MB) 2008 Victorian Landcare Forum Proceedings Part 2 (PDF - 1.9 MB) 2008 Victorian Landcare Forum Stories Part 1 (PDF - 2.0 MB) 2008 Victorian Landcare Forum Stories Part 2 (PDF - 1.5 MB)Commitments to Action are now available on the Landcare Gateway.
To read about the 2004 Victorian Landcare Forum, go to Stories of Success.