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National Landcare Program
- Sustainable Industry Initiatives
- Natural Resource Innovation Grants
- National Landcare Program Sustainable Practices component
Background
The National Landcare Program finished on 30 June 2008.
The goal of the National Landcare Program was to ‘develop and implement resource management practices which enhance Australia's soil, water and biological resources’. These practices were to be ‘efficient, sustainable, equitable, and consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development’.
The objectives of the program were to:
- assist in enhancing the long term productivity of natural resources in Australia
- promote community, industry and governmental partnership in the management of natural resources in Australia
- assist in establishing institutional arrangements to develop and implement policies, programs and practices that would encourage sustainable use of natural resources in Australia
- assist in developing approaches to help resolve conflicts over access to natural resources in Australia
- assist in raising the natural resource and business management skills of landholders.
To achieve its objectives, the National Landcare Program encouraged strategic activities that resulted in on-ground outcomes and increased community capacity for change.
2008–2014
In July 2008, the Australian Government announced that the Caring for our Country initiative would include funding of $189 million over five years for landcare-related activities.
Caring for our Country – Landcare encourages landholders to undertake landcare and related conservation works by supporting collective action by communities to manage the environment and natural resources sustainably.
- Visit the Caring for our Country website
- Caring for our Country - Landcare Sustainable Practices grants 2008-09
PDF [98kb] 
Word [199kb]
2001–2008
The second phase of the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT2), beginning in 2001, had four themes, ‘Landcare’, ‘Bushcare’, ‘Coastcare’ and ‘Rivercare’, indicating how expenditure was made against the type of activity. Much of the funding for NHT2 Landcare met the Government’s commitment to the Murray–Darling Basin Initiative, the National Land and Water Resources Audit, farm forestry, weed and feral animal control strategies, and fisheries action.
A review of the National Landcare Program in 2003 confirmed the program’s value and its effectiveness in engaging and equipping farmers and landholders to use and manage natural resources better. The Australian Government decided that the program would retain a clear identity and objective separate from the National Heritage Trust, emphasising its focus on supporting the grassroots approach and motivating on-farm change for sustainable farming and improved land, water and vegetation management.
The National Landcare Program finished on 30 June 2008.
1996–2001
When the Natural Heritage Trust was established in 1996, the National Landcare Program became one of the programs supported under the Trust.
1992–1996
The National Landcare Program was established in 1992 as one of the mechanisms to progress towards sustainable ecosystems, with a primary focus on sustainable agriculture and improved management of the natural resource base—soils, water and vegetation—at farm level. The National Landcare Program replaced other programs including the former National Soil Conservation Program and the Federal Water Resources Assistance Program.
Components of the previous National Landcare Program
- Sustainable Industry Initiatives
- Natural Resource Innovation Grants
- National Landcare Program Sustainable Practices component
Sustainable Industry Initiatives
The Sustainable Industry Initiatives program (SII Program) worked in partnership with national industry groups to encourage sustainable and nationally consistent approaches to natural resource management.
The SII Program’s goal was to have these industries widely recognised as implementing sustainable best management practice for natural resource management.
Completed SII Program partnerships
- Project Proponent: Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL)
Horticulture Australia Ltd report Word [212kb] - Project Proponent: NSW Sugar and the National Food and Industry Strategy Ltd
NSW Sugar and the National Food and Industry Strategy Ltd report Word [136kb] - Project Proponent: Winemakers Federation of Australia
Winemakers Federation of Australia report Word [178kb] - Project Proponent: Australian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (ANCID)
Natural Resource Innovation Grants
The Natural Resource Innovation Grants were one-off grants to encourage people in farming, food, aquaculture and forest industries to contribute to sustainable production. The grants encouraged improvement and adoption of best practice.
List of all Natural Resource Innovation grants awarded in 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 PDF [279kb]
Natural Resource Innovation Grants case studies
Case studies from completed Natural Resource Innovation projects
- The use of Circle Hooks to improve hook selectivity, while reducing mortality of target and non-target fish species (SA) PDF [81kb]
- Agroforestry and mixed perennials in a low rainfall saline landscape (VIC) PDF [74kb]
- Bundaberg District Grain in Cane (QLD) PDF [102kb]
- Demonstrating improved use of disk seeders and herbicide use in no-till farming systems (SA) PDF [226kb]
- Driving adoption of robust profitable agricultural land management systems in medium rainfall conditions (SA) PDF [116kb]
- Implementation and demonstration of resource-efficient irrigation systems for the Lucerne Seed Industry (SA) PDF [204kb]
- Wastewater treatment through the introduction of wetlands to wholesale nurseries (TAS) PDF [329kb]
- Ecologically sustainable freshwater aquaculture development utilizing best practice water management techniques for Atlantic salmon and other freshwater species (TAS) PDF [94kb]
National Landcare Program Sustainable Practices component
National Landcare Program Sustainable Practices (formerly known as Community Support) funded activities that significantly increased the uptake of sustainable production and other natural resource management practices, enhanced the knowledge and skills of natural resource managers, and improved integration of natural resource management into management practices at the enterprise level.
Community Support component investments in each state and territory from 2003–04, including 2007–08 approvals, are below:
- Australian Capital Territory PDF [141kb]
- New South Wales PDF [544kb]
- Northern Territory PDF [146kb]
- Queensland PDF [319kb]
- South Australia PDF [464kb]
- Tasmania PDF [380kb]
- Victoria PDF [574kb]
- Western Australia PDF [282kb]
Community Support case studies
Case studies from completed Community Support projects
- Farmer-Based Monitoring to Reduce the Risk of Soil and Nutrient Loss (TAS) PDF [115kb]
- Production from marginal lands: Sustainable Indigenous development and commercial use of wildlife (NT) PDF [138kb]
- Sustainable Grazing Land Management in Central Australia (NT) PDF [79kb]
- Increasing the sustainability of production of the Victorian Strawberry Growers (VIC) PDF [75kb]
- Soil Health and Precision Agriculture (WA) PDF [109kb]
- Implementation of sustainable land management activities on dairy farms through Dairying Better 'N' Better for Tomorrow (QLD) PDF [216kb]
- Farmers motivating farmers with innovative cropping and grazing systems (NSW) PDF [108kb]
Contact
Caring for our Country - Landcare
Phone: 1800 552 008
Fax: 02 6274 1094 (Attention: Communications Team)
Email: Landcare Contact
