THIS Landcare Week members of the nationwide environmental organisation’s local chapter are encouraging everyone in the community to find a way to get involved.
Running from 3 to 9 August, the annual week seeks to celebrates the volunteers, farmers, traditional owners, schools, businesses and community groups working together to care for Australia’s land, waterways and biodiversity.
While Landcare can sometimes be associated with farmers and large-scale environmental projects, Little River Landcare CEO Phoebe Gulliver said the movement offered a place for all.
“There’s opportunities really for everyone in the community to be involved,” she said.
The 2026 National Landcare Week Survey, released to mark the occasion, found 83 per cent of Australians regularly help care for their local environment, while 93 per cent of respondents said they had made friends through Landcare.
The survey also found 88 per cent felt more connected to their local community through Landcare, with 64 per cent reporting improved physical and mental wellbeing.
For Ms Gulliver, those findings reflect what Landcare looks like on the ground across the region.
Little River Landcare has been operating for more than 30 years, after being established by local landholders interested in supporting trees, sustainable agricultural practices, and addressing issues like salinity.
Since then, the organisation has grown to deliver around $12 million worth of projects across the region.
Today, its projects range from environmental planting, carbon sequestration and salinity management to water monitoring, citizen science efforts, school programs, and biodiversity projects.
Ms Gulliver said people should not assume they need to be a farmer or own a large property to participate.
“Anyone that’s interested in soils can come along,” she said. “Anyone that has an interest in carbon projects or salinity.”
One of the simplest ways to become involved is to keep an eye on Little River Landcare’s social media and website for upcoming events.
“We have something every couple of weeks,” Ms Gulliver said.
Whether it is attending a workshop, joining a paddock walk, taking part in a citizen science project, learning about soil, helping with environmental planting or coming along to talk with other people interested in the local environment, there are opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.
And if there is something the community would like to see happen, Little River Landcare wants to hear about it.
Ms Gulliver said the organisation was keen to hear from community members who had ideas for environmental activities or projects.
“If people want to run stuff that’s got an environmental benefit, come and see us,” she said.
“This is what Landcare is all about: people sharing their ideas.”
For children and families, Landcare can provide an opportunity to step away from screens and develop a greater understanding of the natural world.
Ms Gulliver said getting children outside and encouraging them to notice the environment around them was an important part of Landcare.
“It’s so important for kids especially to get off the screen, get out, walk around, and notice things,” she said.
There are also opportunities for the wider community to participate in citizen science throughout the year.
Bird and insect monitoring activities are advertised through regional Landcare networks, while platforms such as iNaturalist allow participants to photograph and record what they see.
“There’s lots of citizen science opportunities where over a period, you just watch what’s there, and maybe photograph it or describe it,” Ms Gulliver said.
“That data is really valuable.”
Little River Landcare local coordinator Amy Kerr said bringing experts into regional communities also meant farmers and land managers could access up-to-date information and consider new approaches.
“It gives people an opportunity to open their minds up to new science and other ways of doing things and connect them with their neighbours and their local community,” Ms Kerr said.
Ms Kerr is also coordinating the regional Better Bush for Birds project, which covers the Central Tablelands and aims to restore bird habitat.
The project is currently in its planning stage, with site assessments being carried out on participating properties before planting is expected to begin in 2027.
While Landcare continues to deliver environmental and community benefits, the national survey also highlighted the challenges facing the organisation.
Nearly six in 10 respondents said recruiting volunteers was becoming harder, while 66 per cent said reliable funding or small grants would make the biggest difference to the work their groups could achieve.
Ms Gulliver said Little River Landcare’s work was heavily dependent on funding, with the organisation continually working to secure projects and keep opportunities available to the community.
But for those who want to help, Landcare does not require a huge commitment or a particular set of skills.
People can volunteer their time, attend an event, participate in citizen science, join as a member, or share their knowledge.
“Landcare is about people sharing their ideas, and we do our best to make sure that we’re meeting the demands of the people in the community,” Ms Gulliver said.
Landcare Australia ambassador Costa Georgiadis summed up the community spirit behind the movement in the national survey announcement.
“People often arrive because they want to help nature, but before long they’re part of a community,” he said.
This Landcare Week, people are being encouraged to take that first step, whether that means joining an event, getting their hands dirty, learning about the environment, or just taking a closer look at the birds in their backyard.