The Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups (YAN) has identified a number of activities designed to support landcare and landcare groups in the Yass area.

The activities are drawn from the outcomes of a workshop held in October 2013 where landcarers were consulted on how YAN could best support landcare as we move to adjust to changes under the new Local Land Services umbrella and program requirements.

YAN plans to:

• sponsor landcarers to attend conferences, seminars and training sessions – full or partial support would be provided to landcare group members, on the condition that the person provide a formal report back to their group on their experiences;
• sponsor visits to the Yass area from experts on subjects of interest to landcare groups to make presentations and provide advice – topics such as nursery propagation, compost teas, pasture cropping, native vegetation management;
• support landcare groups (and facilitators) to identify and address major area-level natural resource management issues – coordination of effort on agreed issues could result in more successful funding applications and sponsorships and management of major projects;
• organise seminars and workshops on topical issues of interest to landcarers and the broader community – topics could include grazing and pasture management, soils, property planning, fire management, climate change and adaptation, weeds, pests, biosecurity, salinity and river management;
• facilitate local landcare awards, to celebrate group and individual achievements, including awards for young people;
• improve communications by combining YAN meetings with meetings of local landcare groups (say once a year) or by YAN representatives attending meetings of landcare groups to report on developments and seek feedback;
• continue to provide representation on regional bodies (such as the LLS’s Regional Landcare Facilitator Steering Committee) to represent and promote Yass area’s interests.

Feedback and advice from landcarers on the program are welcomed. 

The above program will be in addition to YAN’s continuing activities representing Yass area landcare groups and providing communications and news of landcare activities.