In 2026, the Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups (YAN) proudly marks 30 years of community-led care for our local landscapes. Since our beginnings in 1996, YAN has grown from a small group of passionate locals into a strong, connected network of Landcare groups working across the Yass Valley and surrounding districts.

This milestone is an opportunity to reflect on where we started, how we’ve grown, and, most importantly, to thank the volunteers and partners who have shaped YAN over three decades.

Our Beginnings: 1996

YAN was formed in 1996 by local landholders and community members who shared a simple but powerful idea: working together achieves more for the land than working alone. At a time when issues such as land degradation, declining biodiversity and soil health were becoming increasingly visible, the network provided a way to share knowledge, coordinate action and support emerging Landcare groups across the district. From the outset, YAN focused on collaboration, connecting people, properties and projects across boundaries, and giving local Landcare groups a collective voice.

A Growing Network of Landcare Groups

Over time, the network expanded as local communities came together around shared environmental goals. Each group brings its own character, priorities and strengths, while contributing to a united regional effort.

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• Murrumbateman Landcare Group joined the network as one of the region’s most active groups, supporting landholders through revegetation, sustainable agriculture and biodiversity projects in a rapidly changing peri-urban landscape.

• Yass Landcare Group strengthened the network’s presence in and around the township of Yass, with a strong focus on community education, urban and rural connections, and stewardship of local waterways and reserves.
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• Bowning–Bookham Landcare Group brought together landholders across a diverse rural landscape, championing soil health, habitat restoration, Landcare on farms and practical, on-ground action.
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• Sutton Landcare Group added a strong peri-urban perspective, working with landholders experiencing growth pressures while maintaining a focus on native vegetation, wildlife and sustainable land management.
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• Friends of Yass Gorge joined the network with a dedicated commitment to protecting and restoring one of the region’s most visable natural assets, advocating for the Gorge’s ecological and cultural values.

Together, these groups form the heart of YAN, locally driven, volunteer-led and deeply connected to place.

Working at Scale: Regional Projects

One of YAN’s greatest strengths over the past 30 years has been the ability to deliver large, collaborative projects that no single group could achieve alone.

The Yass Habitat Linkages project demonstrated the power of landscape-scale thinking, connecting remnant vegetation across properties to improve wildlife movement and ecosystem resilience.

More recently, Climate Ready Revegetation has built on this legacy, supporting landholders to plan and plant for a changing climate, using locally appropriate species and long-term thinking to future‑proof our landscapes.

These projects reflect YAN’s role as a connector: bringing together Landcare groups, landholders, funding bodies and technical experts to deliver lasting outcomes for biodiversity, water and soils.

Thanking Our Volunteers

At the centre of everything YAN has achieved over the past 30 years are our volunteers.

From committee members and project coordinators to landholders, students and community members who turn up to plant trees, monitor sites, attend field days or share their knowledge. Thousands of volunteer hours have gone into caring for our landscapes, strengthening our communities and inspiring the next generation of Landcarers.

YAN also acknowledges the many partners, funders and supporters who have worked alongside the network over the years, helping turn local ideas into on-ground action.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate 30 years of the Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups, we do so with pride in our past and optimism for the future. The challenges facing our landscapes continue to evolve, but the values that founded YAN in 1996 remain the same: community, collaboration and care for our landscape.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. Here’s to the next 30 years of working together for healthy, resilient landscapes across the Yass Valley.

Share your stories

If you have any photos of stories of your involvement in Landcare over the last three decades we'd love to hear about them. Please get in touch with Sarah [email protected]

Written by Sarah McGrath, YAN Coordinator

The Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups is a volunteer-lead community organisation that facilitates the development of Landcare in the Yass Valley. Our Network has five local Landcare Groups with projects that range from revegetation and regenerative agriculture to reserve management and restoration. We also source climate-ready seed for direct seeding, grow 10-20 000 climate-ready tubestock each year and, host learning and educational events to support all these activities. We have recently won a number of grants to support new and existing projects and we need an extra team member to help us deliver these.

PROJECT OFFICER
(approx. 14 hours per fortnight 6 -12 month contract)

Expression of Interest Close 1st March 2026

YAN is looking for a self-starter who has project experience in similar organisations. If you can keep projects moving and volunteers motivated, while demonstrating the quality results that YAN achieves to funders and supporters and engaging the wider community, you are the kind of person we are looking for.

This Project Officer will:

- work with the YAN and local Landcare Group members to deliver outcomes required from grants and local action plans,

undertake event management to support Landcare volunteers to host and run local events,

- support planning and access to environmental specialists as required,

- draft and submit grant applications to secure funding and resources for Landcare projects,

- monitor, evaluate and report on project activities and outcomes, stimulate local community engagement and participation in Landcare across the Yass Valley at face-to-face events and through regular communications including newsletters and social media.

The Project Officer works closely with the YAN Landcare Coordinator and liaises with Committees and Members of local Landcare Groups and project stakeholders. The Chair of the Yass Area Network of Landcare Groups will initially supervise the Project Officer and the YAN Landcare Coordinator will be available for induction and handover.

Remuneration is $45-$50 per hour depending on experience. Initial contract will be from February-March 2026 to 31 July 2026 with a possible extension of 6 months to 31 Jan 2027.

Driver’s licence, own vehicle and own computer and home-based work space are needed to fulfil this role.

For more information or apply

Please contact Sarah McGrath at [email protected] with any questions and send a brief resume and introductory letter to [email protected] to express your interest in this important role.

We look forward to hearing from you

Sarah McGrath - YAN Landcare Coordinator and

Kath McGuirk - YAN Chair.

Across the Yass region, large old trees quietly provide some of our most important wildlife habitat. Hollows formed over decades, more over centuries, are essential nesting and shelter sites for birds, bats and mammals. As part of the HumeLink East transmission line project, some of these habitat trees need to be removed where they fall within the transmission line footprint.

To reduce the impact of this unavoidable loss, a comprehensive like-for-like hollow replacement program is underway, ensuring that wildlife continues to have safe places to live, breed and shelter.

Replacing Hollows, Like for Like

Under the guidance and supervision of project ecologists, hollow creation is occurring at a minimum one-to-one replacement, targeting the same species that previously relied on the removed trees. Importantly, at this site 30% of hollows are being installed or created ahead of tree removal, allowing animals the opportunity to relocate immediately rather than waiting until works are complete.

This proactive approach is particularly important for species that are highly dependent on specific hollow sizes and locations.

Recycling Natural Hollows

Large natural hollows removed from habitat trees are being carefully recycled and reinstalled in nearby suitable locations once works commence. This is especially critical for species such as cockatoos and owls, which have very specific nesting requirements that are difficult to replicate artificially.

In some partially cleared areas, trees containing hollows are being retained by removing only the tops of hollow-bearing trees. Where there is no conflict with the transmission lines, this allows valuable habitat to remain in place.

Nest Boxes for a Range of Species

A diverse mix of nest boxes has been installed to support the wide range of wildlife found in this landscape. These include:

• - Tiny microbat homes
• - Nest boxes for small birds
• - Glider and possum boxes
• - Large, over metre-long cockatoo boxes

Each nest box includes starter material, encouraging animals to bring in additional nesting material and establish their new homes more quickly.

Creating Hollows in Living Trees: The Hollow Hog Method

Where suitable large trees already exist nearby, hollows are being created directly into living trees using the Hollow Hog method. This involves carving an internal cavity and installing an appropriately sized entrance. Over time, the living tree naturally grows around the hollow, creating a long-lasting and natural habitat feature.

To be suitable for this method, trees must have a minimum diameter of 400 mm at installation height. Entry sizes vary depending on the target species, ranging from tiny microbat entrances to larger openings suitable for possums and cockatoos, using timber entry face plates.

Thoughtful Placement and Long-Term Monitoring

All hollows and nest boxes are installed with careful consideration of placement, including avoiding north-west to south-facing aspects to reduce heat stress and exposure. An that the number, aspect and location of entrances are well considered for the wildlife intended to use them.

These new homes will be monitored over several years, tracking which species use them and assessing the long-term success of the installations. This monitoring will help inform future habitat replacement projects across the region.

Supporting Wildlife Into the Future

In this area, hollow creation is catering for cockatoos, owls, gliders, bats, small birds, possums and other small marsupials, helping ensure that the region’s wildlife continues to thrive despite necessary infrastructure development.

We look forward to hearing how this major relocation of birds and animals unfolds over the coming years, and to sharing updates as monitoring results emerge.

On 25 November, community members came together at Sutton Village Reserve for a practical and informative weed and native plant identification walk.

The walk was led by Bella Hart and Alicia Kaylock from Southeast Local Land Services, with valuable support from Brett Lees, Biosecurity Officer at Yass Valley Council. Weed control activities at the site are being co-funded by Crown Lands, highlighting the importance of partnership in managing public land.

Participants focused on some of the major weeds impacting our region, including African Lovegrass, St John’s Wort, Serrated Tussock and blackberries. A key theme of the walk was learning how to confidently identify these species, particularly as some have native “look-alikes”. Developing this more detailed knowledge helps landholders and volunteers distinguish the good from the bad and make informed management decisions.

The group also discussed tools that can assist with weed identification, including the NSW WeedWise app, available on both Apple and Android devices. These resources are proving invaluable for ongoing learning in the field.

Looking ahead, Sutton Landcare is actively considering suitable native species to replace weeds once control works are undertaken. Avoiding bare soil is essential to prevent reinfestation and support healthy regeneration.

Thank you to everyone who participated, and especially to Alicia, Bella and Brett for generously sharing their expertise.

Written by Arnold Dekker, Sutton Landcare