Media Release - Landcare NSW Incorporated Inaugural Meeting

The State's 47,000 community landcarers now have a unified voice following the inaugural meeting of Landcare NSW Incorporated in Sydney this week.

Seen as filling a void in community representation for Landcare in NSW, the new group comprises Landcare representatives from across NSW.

Interim co-convenor of Landcare NSW, David Walker, Executive Officer of the Liverpool Plains Land Management Committee, said the inaugural meeting was the culmination of many months of consultation and planning.

"A community reference group, which is truly representative of the State's grass roots landcarers has been on the drawing board in the NSW Landcare movement for many years", David Walker said.

"A carefully developed proposal to establish a NSW Landcare Community Reference Group was finally ratified at the NSW Landcare Muster held in Tamworth late October.

"This week's inaugural meeting saw members from across coastal and inland NSW reaffirm the group's aim to be a strong representative body to work for grassroots community-driven natural resource management in NSW. Landcare NSW will be truly representative, with its members to be endorsed by local Landcare Networks and Landcare Groups."

One of the first tasks of the new group was to establish both Membership and Terms-Of-Reference Sub-committees to look at the issues of representation, identifying key activities and legal issues such as the draft constitution.

Chris Scott, Chairman of the NSW Landcare Committee, and co-convenor of the new group, said the formation of Landcare NSW was the finalisation of a long-standing intention to have a community reference group to back up the NSW Landcare Committee.

"Essentially the new group will make the connection and facilitate communication between community Landcarers and the NSW Landcare Committee, the small advisory body appointed by the NSW Government.

"We have needed this linkage between the landcare community and the State Government for a long time. The landcare movement in NSW is active and growing, this new body will ensure that our voice is heard and our achievements acknowledged," Chris Scott said.

"The formation of a state wide, representative body for Landcare will do much to ensure the contribution of the 47,000 landcarers across NSW is properly valued."

The next meeting of the new group will be held at Landcare Australia's offices in Chatswood in early February 2008.

CONTACTS: Chris Scott - 0428 860 639 David Walker - 0428 418 332