Terrain hosts the Regional Landcare Facilitator for the Wet Tropics to support Landcare, production groups and other land managers to adopt sustainable farm and land management practices and to protect our landscape.

There are Regional Landcare Facilitators for each of the 56 bioregions around Australia, funded through the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).

April 2012 Update

Help and $$ for your group:

• Green Nomads

• Funding for Junior Landcare and teachers

Information sessions/workshops that may be useful:

• Insurance and OHS –likely end of May/early June

• Vegetation Regrowth information – QFF's Kelvin Towerton can present to us between May and November 2012

• Backyard Explorer workshop – May 17 in Atherton/Yungaburra; another aimed at schools in Innisfail, May 16 (TBC)

• Social Media training – June 18 or 19 or in the week July 2-6

See In the News for details

Read about what other regions are doing, too. Click on the green "Stories" tab to read Landcare and catchment post cards from around Australia.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone 07 4043 8033 or mobile 0488 702 203. Find the Regional Landcare Facilitator on Facebook.

What does the Regional Landcare Facilitator do in our region?

The Regional Landcare Facilitator in our region helps farmers and community groups in rural, peri-urban and urban areas to access information and funding that will help them:

• Understand natural resource management issues
• Implement changes on their land that improve the environment both on and off farm
• Adopt best management practices on their farm to deliver improved ecosystem services
• Get involved in activities

I also play a key role in the region through maintaining close links with the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to access and/or inform future policies and programs and funding opportunities.

My key focus for the next 12 months is on:

• helping land managers to understand and look after the environmental values on their properties and in their catchments
• introducing the Carbon Farming Initiative program and its opportunities for land managers in the Wet Tropics.

See the monthly Terrain newsletter for regular updates.

What is Landcare?

Landcare is a voluntary community movement of about 4500 groups across Australia.

The Australian Government set aside $189 million for Landcare over five years from the over $2 billion invested in Caring for our Country. This is for conservation activities on private land on farms, in water catchments and at the regional level.

Farmers manage 60 per cent of Australia's land and 70 per cent of its diverted water. About 40 per cent of farmers are involved in landcare.

Caring for our Country – Landcare encourages collective action by landholders, businesses and communities. This partnership between government and the community is critical to sustainable management of our rural environment and natural resources.