Agriculture
28 November, 2023
Plan signals greater funding push by Landcare
A KEY part of Landcare Victoria’s response to biodiversity loss and climate change was at risk without longer-term and greater funding, the group said in its 10-year plan released this week. Chair Jane Carney said the plan set out a blueprint for...
A KEY part of Landcare Victoria’s response to biodiversity loss and climate change was at risk without longer-term and greater funding, the group said in its 10-year plan released this week.
Chair Jane Carney said the plan set out a blueprint for the next decade and was developed in conjunction with Victoria’s Landcare community.
“I’m really proud of the plan and the role we can play, but we also have to address the fact that right now our work is at risk,” she said.
“Critical to the success of the plan are our 80 local facilitators and 10 regional coordinators who harness the power of tens of thousands of volunteers across more than 600 Victorian Landcare groups and help fill the extension gap left by the government.
“The funding the Victorian Government provides to us right now gets extended bit by bit, year by year and is not enough. That’s why we’re calling for an investment of $48 million over four years towards facilitator and coordinator roles.
“That will enable us to offer our facilitators and coordinators longer contracts at a fairer wage, and to hire 20 new facilitators to share the growing workload.”
Mrs Carney said while Landcare appreciated the extension, it was not enough. “We do a lot with a little at Landcare, but we must face facts. You can’t keep good people if you don’t give them an adequate wage and ... short-term contracts.”