Stream Sessions Speakers

Significant resources go into revegetation—how do we ensure those efforts last in a changing climate?

The Yass Valley’s Climate Ready Revegetation project combines science and community passion to boost genetic diversity and resilience in native plantings. Guided by climate projections and science, our volunteers grow and plant thousands of climate-ready tubestock each year. Discover how we’ve embedded this initiative as a core Landcare activity, and gain insights to inspire climate-ready revegetation in your own region. Join us to explore practical, positive action that empowers volunteers and future-proofs our landscapes.

The Science Saving Rainforests Program, launched by Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy in 2017, uses cutting-edge genome science to restore genetic diversity in critically endangered lowland subtropical rainforests. By creating living seedbanks and climate-resilient planting stock, the project sets a global standard in ecological restoration and threatened species recovery.

The production of genetically diverse, climate-resilient planting stock is helping prevent inbreeding and enhance adaptability to predicted climate change, new pests and emerging diseases. This presentation offers a blueprint for landcare and other environmental organisations, outlining the practical steps and challenges involved in implementing a large-scale, long-term, multi-species project like Science Saving Rainforests.

This presentation will increase delegates’ knowledge and understanding of how genome science can be practically applied to large landscape-scale ecological restoration projects.  Delegates will be inspired to set higher standards in ecological restoration by adopting cutting-edge scientific methods to mitigate climate change impacts to threatened ecosystems in their own regions and communities.

The Accounting for Nature® Framework provides a scientific, standardised system for measuring, reporting, and tracking environmental condition over time. We will cover how emerging environmental markets and claims rely on robust environmental accounting data to underpin the issuance of credits, verify carbon co-benefits, and support credible green claims.

Our aim is to help landholders of all sizes participate in nature markets to access investments in nature, providing clear guidance and practical approaches to companies embarking on their nature journeys.

In this session, participants will gain insight into the emerging nature market landscape, explore opportunities to participate, and learn how environmental accounting supports credible measurement of progress toward the global nature-positive goal.

We would like delegates to walk away with a better understanding of how they may be able to participate in emerging nature markets and how green claims can be supported by environmental accounting data.

Respect and shared goals for biodiversity and habitat enhancement define the Narrap Unit and DCMC’s partnership, acknowledging that 60,000+ years of cultural management and healing, takes time and patience.

Strong, respectful collaborations with First Peoples yield significant benefits for biodiversity, culture, and community.  The partnership aims to restore Darebin Creek’s Grassy Eucalypt Woodlands, build stronger relationships, and improve the Narrap Unit’s capacity, especially for female Indigenous rangers.

With constant pressure to compete for limited funding and resources, slowing down and respecting First Peoples Traditional Knowledge and philosophy of Country allows us to read and respond to ecological signals to inform and prioritise our interventions while also taking the time necessary to build meaningful relationships in land management.

It is also through collaboration, that pools limited funding, resources, skills and knowledge that we can learn and develop together and achieve what’s best for Country and people.

Emerging carbon and biodiversity markets are driving demand for accurate and relevant information for farmers and landcarers. However, carbon farming and low emissions farming is a space rife with misinformation and mistrust.

Locally relevant information focused on the co-benefits of low emissions farming is needed to combat misinformation in this space.

The Carbon Farming Outreach Program is run in collaboration with Landcare Victoria,10 regional NRM bodies and the Victorian agriculture department. This model brings together the strengths of local farming communities and different levels of government to effectively communicate the value of low emissions farming and carbon farming practices.

This session will give an understanding of the information needs of farmers and land managers, sharing key insights into how to communicate in a way that landcarers understand and will engage with to ensure farmers can make informed choices for their properties.

Coastal salt marshes provide erosion control, habitat, and blue carbon storage but face threats from urban expansion and climate change.  This project addresses the urgent need for climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation by investigating the propagation, transplantation, and establishment of salt couch (Sporobolus virginicus), a vital species for stabilising coastal ecosystems, increasing blue carbon sequestration, and supporting marine biodiversity.

This presentation shows how our findings can help restore disturbed coastal areas and build resilience, offering insights into effective restoration projects in salt marshes affected by infrastructure development.

We will discuss crucial insights from the study, focusing on how site selection, soil preparation, and tidal dynamics affect restoration outcomes. Land managers, conservation groups, and government agencies can directly apply these findings to evidence-based salt marsh rehabilitation.

Delegates will leave the session feeling empowered to take actionable steps toward restoring coastal resilience using evidence-based approaches, from small to large-scale projects.

This coastcare group has faced drought, fire, floods, and increasingly intense and frequent storms due to climate change. Coastal communities face these issues head-on, dealing with their impact on local ecosystems.

To restore the Wallabi Point littoral rainforest after the 2019 fire, selected weeds were purposefully left to aid and protect the regeneration process. Initially aiming to prevent weeds from overrunning the fire-damaged rainforest and help it recover faster, the team’s goal shifted once they understood the effects of rising sea levels and erosion. The objective became aiding littoral rainforest retreat inland and away from the eroding sand dunes. A littoral rainforest and genetic corridor to interconnect the rainforest ecotones with the rainforest itself was established.

While beach, dune, and rainforest loss is devastating, community planning and action offer hope. Littoral rainforest rehabilitation after fire requires adaptability from Coastcare volunteers and regenerators, who understand the needs and emerging threats, and change plans when necessary.

Innovation, collaboration and education are key to Caring for Catchments, a 5-year riparian restoration project of the NSW Northern Rivers region tackling climate adaptation and biodiversity.

As one of Australia’s biggest riparian restoration projects, this initiative uses large-scale, nature-based solutions to improve flood mitigation, social cohesion, and disaster resilience.

Empowering landowners, integrating Traditional Knowledge, and enabling access to environmental markets increases social and ecological resilience in the Northern Rivers, leading to a more sustainable and climate-ready future.

Caring for Catchments offers landcare and environmental groups a case study to guide local education events on carbon and biodiversity markets, integrate Traditional Knowledge, use demonstration sites as living labs for regional restoration, and share data/success stories to encourage collaboration.

The innovative digital approach, data, and mapping for the project will be presented to delegates, who will also discuss the required future project metrics for mapping social and ecological resilience.

As the environment changes, farmers and the landcare community need to adjust to a future of natural capital income streams forming part of farm business and drought resilience strategies.

The ‘Landcare-led Landscape Resilience’ project sought to prepare land managers and the NRM professional community within the Murray and Murrumbidgee regions of NSW for this future. This presentation will showcase the project’s key outputs,  what was achieved, what we’ve learned, the project’s legacy and explore the landcare community’s potential future role in Natural Capital. We will encourage delegates to contribute ideas to guide the project’s future, specifically supporting Landcare and farming communities’ to make best use of market-based instruments for increased revegetation and drought and business resilience.

Kangaroo Island Landscape Board: is delivering
the world’s largest feral cat eradication program on an inhabited island. Application of cutting-edge technology has introduced game changing efficiencies, overcoming many of the challenges of working across complex multi-tenure landscapes.

User-friendly trap monitoring technology has increased landholder participation in cat trapping programs, which has been supported by AgKI, the island’s peak industry body. It has also allowed us to partner with Indigenous business Tracks in the Sand, where we are exchanging Cultural and technological knowledge.

The results of these programs and partnerships provide key lessons for future programs and sustained long-term results.

Landcare groups often have an expert amongst their midst, but what if you don’t, or is your expert knowledge limited to a certain focus area?  How can landcare groups access expert knowledge or collect data that experts can use with confidence. 

Springfield Lakes Nature Care (SLNC) has taken advantage of the latest technology and smart phone apps to assist in solving this problem in accessing biodiversity experts to allow us to document biodiversity, and water quality.  

This presentation will explore the apps, other technology and the information they provide.  The session will give delegates a quick overview of the types of technology landcare groups might find useful in identifying and recording biodiversity in their region and help them catch invasive species before they become a massive problem and begin to harm native species.

Phytophthora species pose a significant biosecurity threat to Australia’s diverse ecosystems and plant-based industries. Phytophthora infestations compromise the health and resilience of urban forests, parks, and botanic gardens leading to long-term landscape degradation, biodiversity loss, and the destruction of critical habitat. These impacts also have profound cultural consequences for First Nations peoples, whose connections to Country, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices are closely tied to healthy landscapes.

This talk explores Phytophthora biology, its impact on conservation and plant-based industries, and current management challenges. It introduces PhytoGuard™-a scalable, cost-effective detection system.

Delegates will gain practical insights into implementing rapid, cost-effective pathogen testing in restoration projects, nurseries, and land management programs.

This presentation introduces WeedRemeed, an emerging weed detection platform integrating drone technology, artificial intelligence, and colour-based image analysis to improve early detection of invasive plant species at landscape scale.

WeedRemeed, on trials across multiple regions supports proactive and efficient weed management. This presentation shares an overview of the technology, its ecological benefits, and preliminary trial outcomes in Victoria, the ACT, South Australia, and Queensland. It will reflect on ecological benefits of improving surveillance of weeds like St John’s Wort, Wheel Cactus, Wild Oats, Horehound and Briar Rose.

Delegates will learn how new technologies can help detect invasive weeds on a large scale, highlighting both the benefits and challenges of using these tools in real-life field conditions. Concluding with key lessons learned and the scalability of WeedRemeed as a tool for sustainable and tech-enabled weed control in Australia.

Adopting climate-smart practices and engaging in schemes like the ACCU Scheme presents considerable challenges for primary producers and landcarers.

Nature-based projects, whether for carbon, biodiversity or regenerative outcomes struggle with regulatory complexity, high costs, and limited technical support, leading to lengthy, unpredictable, and resource-intensive planning and management.

grovia, a purpose-built digital platform, supports a more inclusive, efficient, and people-positive approach to nature-based projects. This session shows how grovia helps landcare at scale by enabling landholders and groups to manage carbon and biodiversity projects with autonomy and clarity.

Delegates will learn how it guides users through the entire project lifecycle, encompassing restoration, carbon, and regenerative agriculture projects. grovia simplifies environmental market engagement, enabling farmers, First Nations ranger groups, landcare groups, and local councils independently plan and manage projects.

By weaving together drones, AI and community-led governance, this panel delivers a replicable model for sustainable partnerships. Learn how Salty Monkeys, Goondoi Rangers, and the Queensland AI Hub use drones and AI to tackle marine debris and monitor remote habitats on Indigenous land. Discover best practices for data sovereignty, community training, and scalable deployments.

The session explores the role of emerging technologies in driving nature repair and strengthening cultural custodianship of Country through case studies of the Torres Strait Marine Debris Task Force and coastal ecosystem monitoring. Participants will gain insights into embedding emerging technologies in their own programmes, driving nature repair and strengthening community wellbeing.

Delegates will leave equipped with a blueprint for partnering with landcare and ranger groups and steps to set up training programs blending on-Country operations with remote support.

Dr Kelvin Ross is the Founder and Chair of KJR, a digital consultancy specialising in AI assurance and ethical technology. With a PhD in robotics and over 30 years’ experience in safety-critical systems, Kelvin brings deep expertise to emerging tech adoption in remote and Indigenous communities. At the Landcare 2025 Conference, Kelvin will explore how drones, AI, and data analytics are empowering Indigenous rangers to deliver culturally informed health and Country outcomes. His work bridges innovation with respect, advancing digital inclusion and sustainable impact through partnerships that honour Indigenous knowledge and leadership. Kelvin is also a passionate advocate for STEM equity.

Dennis Fay, a proud Torres Strait Islander man, is the founder of Salty Monkeys, a First Nations-owned adventure apparel brand grounded in ocean conservation and cultural storytelling. Born and raised in Zenadth Kes, the ocean shaped his identity and purpose. What began as documenting spearfishing adventures has evolved into an impactful organisation. Dennis champions ethical practices by collaborating with Indigenous artists and supporting communities through workshops and mentoring. He also leads the Marine Debris Taskforce, removing tonnes of waste from Torres Strait beaches and training locals in drone technology. An aviation firefighter and entrepreneur, Dennis fuses culture, sustainability, and innovation to empower change

John Fejo is a passionate Larrakia cultural leader, mentor, and Senior Ranger Coordinator for Goondoi. As an Aboriginal Ambassador for AATT age assurance technology and a Cultural Ambassador for KJR, he integrates traditional knowledge with modern innovation. He is actively involved in drone technology, working with KJR to advance Indigenous-led environmental monitoring. John also contributes to the Indigenous Australians Datathon, bridging data science and cultural insights for impactful solutions. Through Ngarrakan Ngardiji, Numuluk, and his cultural consultancy, he empowers men, youth, and communities by blending ancient wisdom with contemporary tools for resilience, leadership, and cultural preservation.

Ngaambulmum (Koalas) are one of Australia’s most iconic species, with a range extending from northern Queensland to Victoria and South Australia. The National Koala Monitoring Program (NKMP) is a collaborative monitoring program whose goal is to produce a solid estimate of Koala populations and create lasting tools for tracking Koala population trends. 

In this session, delegates will hear about two successful projects that harness new technology and local community action.  

QUT, Landcare Australia, and WIRES partnered to create WildSeek, helping community groups find koalas in their natural habitats. Efficient, scalable koala monitoring with drones and AI enhances biodiversity protection. It empowers local hubs to lead community conservation efforts and data-driven land management. 

Moorabool Catchment Landcare, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and CSIRO’s innovative program uses app-based data collection, acoustic monitoring and AI to capture data locally while also contributing to national Koala conservation efforts.  

This session will highlight the value of local data in contributing to larger scale conservation. Successful AI, drones and community action highlight accessible technology and the importance of collaboration when embarking on a monitoring program for any species. 

Building Biolinks: Citizen science, AI, and teamwork to connect the Grampians to Pyrenees

A new Biolinks project in Regional Victoria is building a future for landcare around citizen science and innovative technology. The project uses tools like iNaturalist and new AI-powered cameras and audio monitors to involve the community in tracking indicator species, including gliders and woodland birds. These digital tools enable anyone to participate, regardless of expertise.

The development of web and phone-based applications, wildlife cameras and thermal imagery are useful tools in community-led deer control. This presentation describes the experiences of communities in South Gippsland Landcare Network (SGLN) using technology such as Feral Scan, 4G-enabled cameras and thermal scopes.   This led to SGLN and its partners developing a Feral Deer Control Strategy to monitor the impacts, reach, habits and control of feral deer.   

The data greatly increased landholder awareness of deer presence and their impacts on pasture, infrastructure and biodiversity, propelling them into action! 

Landcarers will learn how these forms of technology have helped raise awareness of feral deer, their behaviour and impacts, and facilitated more effective control of feral deer.   

The proliferation of cane toads (Rhinella marina) in Australia poses a formidable ecological threat, resulting in population declines in native predators and reduction of beneficial prey with on flow effects for wider ecosystems and agriculture.

This presentation examines a new, more efficient, and organized approach to cane toad control: innovative pheromone-based tadpole trapping technology. It emphasizes the significance of community-led citizen science for enhanced pest management, relating to technology, innovation, and collaborative land conservation.

Delegates will improve their understanding of innovative landcare approaches and the importance of community involvement in protecting biodiversity.

Elevating First Nations voices in Australian biosecurity policy is essential for effective environmental protection and cross-cultural collaboration. The Environmental Biosecurity Office is striving to further engage with First Nations Australians to better understand from a community perspective, what work is necessary to improve outcomes for Country. Genuine collaboration with First Nations stakeholders not only enhances the success of biosecurity measures but also strengthens social cohesion, cultural resilience and community well-being. 

The Environmental Biosecurity Office is delivering a $4 million grant to the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance to deliver the Protecting Country Against Invasive Species Program. Learn how this program is supporting Indigenous-led pest and weed management across Northern Australia. It directly invests in the capability of Indigenous organisations to manage threats posed to culture and Country which supports First Nations self-determination in land management activities into the future. 

Across the Fence Farming (ATFF) is a joint venture between Goulburn Mulwaree Landcare Landscapes (GMLL) and Southern Highlands Landcare Networks (SHLN). Nathan Frazer, the shared Landcare Coordinator for both organisations, presents the benefits of trialing Across the Fence Farming. 

Across the Fence Farming is an innovative initiative aimed at fostering a collaborative spirit among neighbouring landowners. By encouraging a cooperative approach to land ownership and agricultural practices, ATFF seeks to bridge gaps in knowledge and experience among new farmers. The project not only aims to enhance productivity but also emphasises environmental stewardship.  

Through staging community events and practical support, ATFF aspires to transform fragmented agricultural lands into thriving, sustainable ecosystems. 

NaturallyGC has become a flagship community engagement program, with growing demand, increased participation, and a rise in volunteer involvement each year. Councils and agencies can learn practical insights to foster sustainable landcare initiatives, driving lasting environmental and social outcomes, and building a thriving landcare movement. 

Last year, NaturallyGC involved over 2,500 volunteers in land restoration efforts, including planting 41,000 trees across 26 community landcare sites. The program also coordinated around 250 free and low-cost nature-based environmental initiatives.  

Discover key lessons from the development and rollout of the NaturallyGC Program, including scaling up and supporting community involvement in contributing to the restoration of our natural areas through strategically planned and well-resourced programs. 

Gain practical insights into what makes a community landcare program successful including program design, accessibility, marketing and engagement to attract volunteers, ongoing support, recognition of volunteer contributions. The session will also delve into some of the challenges encountered along the way, and how the program has adapted to meet changing community needs, ecological priorities, and governance contexts.

Explore the 24-year journey of the Kooroora Bay Landcare group, a community-driven initiative that transformed a rubbish-strewn reserve into a thriving riparian mini forest and in the process, built lasting friendships, celebrated life’s milestones, and have evolved into a tight-knit, supportive community.  

Hear directly from group members as they share key insights into the group’s success, examine the history of the group’s efforts in restoring and preserving the mini riparian forest, illustrate the strategies to maintain ongoing momentum and effective methods to engage new members as original members start to transition out.  

An interactive workshop will follow the presentation to explore practical approaches in engaging and inspiring new members.

What does success look like in natural resource management? This presentation explores factors that help generate positive outcomes for landcare and threatened-species recovery-team projects.

Effective natural resource management relies on active participation from individuals and communities, but participation alone does not guarantee positive environmental results. Success depends on a complex interplay of ecological, social, and economic factors.

Despite decades of research, most studies on natural resource management focus either on social or ecological aspects, with few connecting the two.

To address this gap and support effective environmental change, this research seeks to understand both what motivates participation and what contributes to success once participation occurs.

Delegates will gain insights into the diverse social, institutional, ecological, and economic success factors in the natural resource management interventions. They will also gain insights into the importance of integrating social and ecological issues and how it strengthens planning of natural resource management interventions at different scale.

The South East Local Leaders program is driving grassroots change by empowering community leadership. Through connection, skills-building, and Indigenous collaboration, participants are leading resilience and regeneration. This presentation will highlight the real impact on the Walbunja Rangers – empowering not only the First Nations Rangers but strengthening the broader community.

In response to the challenges of drought, bushfires, and floods, the South East Local Leaders program is a collaboration between Global Learning, Landcare, and Local Land Services has emerged as a powerful catalyst, driving grassroots change and resilience.

This presentation, co-hosted with Andrew White, Walbunja Rangers project manager at Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC), will showcase real stories of change. Andrew will share how much the program’s involvement means to their organisation and community, and the broader social, cultural, and environmental impact.

Delegates will leave inspired to amplify their impact by recognising the power of grassroots leadership. They will gain practical ideas on how to upskill emerging leaders, collaborate meaningfully with existing community leaders, and foster inclusive leadership approaches that strengthen resilience. The session will encourage delegates to invest in community-driven solutions, support cross-sector partnerships, and champion leadership programs that embed Cultural Knowledge, connection, and innovation.

Landcare Tasmania – Peter Stronach (CEO)

Landcare Victoria – Claire Hetzel (CEO)

Landcare Northern Territory- Emily Raso (CEO)

Western Australia Landcare Network Jacqueline Lahne (EO)

Landcare New South Wales – Marni Holden (GM)

Landcare Association of South Australia – Paula Jones (EO)

Landcare ACT – Michael Robinson (CEO)

Queensland Water and Land Carers – Darryl Ebenezer (CEO)

Through a panel discussion with the State and Territory Landcare Organisation (STLO) leaders, we explore the role of State and Territory Landcare peak bodies supporting over 6,500 groups and 160,000 members nationally.

This panel explores how STLO’s are addressing climate change, biodiversity restoration, and sustainable agriculture through professional growth, innovative strategies, and their member-based mode.

The discussion will highlight the essential role they play enabling grassroots Landcare efforts to scale and empowering communities to deliver conservation and biodiversity outcomes, and address climate change through resilient ecosystems.

Small Blocks Big Dreams is a community led program, co-designed and delivered by Corangamite CMA in partnership with landcare.

Small Blocks Big Dreams is a great example of how working collaboratively can lead to tailored programs that meet the needs of specific target audiences. Based on feedback, the program highlights an opportunity to better support and educate small property owners by connecting them to landcare and others facing similar challenges on their land.

Gain insights into collaborative co-design projects, the value of surveys and feedback and how to tailor for specific target audiences. Leave inspired to plan and deliver similar projects – Small Blocks Big Dreams model can be replicated in different regions.

First Nations leadership is central to effective koala conservation on the NSW North Coast. Through the Far North Coast Aboriginal Koala Partnership, a collaboration between the NSW North Coast Regional Landcare Network and the NSW Koala Strategy (DECEEW), this demonstrates how Aboriginal-led projects can drive real outcomes for koalas, Country, and community.

Michael Kennedy, Aboriginal Landcare Officer, will share how Aboriginal community leadership is addressing multiple dimensions of koala conservation through locally designed projects that weave together Traditional Ecological Knowledge, cultural resilience, and ecological science.

This session offers delegates a clear understanding of why Aboriginal-led approaches are essential in conservation, and a commitment to supporting Aboriginal Landcare Officer roles in their own regions.

Central Victoria’s Glideways unites ten Landcare Networks and conservation groups in achieving a thriving glider population. This science-based initiative offers valuable learning for landcare groups.

Using the Biolinks Alliance’s unique ‘Local to Landscape’ planning system, it amplifies community-led action for large landscape scale projects. This process ensures local participation in all stages of strategic planning and project delivery.

Key findings from Glideways, include rediscovering squirrel gliders in Seymour after a decade, confirming a small yet stable population in the Northern Grampians, and locating southern greater gliders in areas affected by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.

Landcare groups can replicate this model through partnerships with groups having similar objectives and vital localised ecological knowledge, achieving widespread engagement and improving outcomes for nature.

This unique initiative showcases the impact of landcare groups work together across large landscapes on projects backed by science.

The Gold Coast is a biodiversity hotspot in Australia, but used to be much more biodiverse.

From a largely untouched natural environment in the early 1900s to a developer-dominated landscape facing environmental crisis in the 1980s: this presentation traces the Gold Coast’s journey.

Boasting Australia’s biggest publicly funded group of ecological regenerators, learn how the City of Gold Coast Government (COGC) has spearheaded an environmental revival and acquired over $35M worth of conservation land enabling effective weed, feral animal, and fire management.

The session will look at examples of successful nature repair and community engagement in areas such as the Gold Coast hinterland of Austinville Valley, which has resulted in a net gain in biodiversity and habitat over the last twenty years.

A grassroots Landcarer, the author planted their first tree in 1963 at Broadbeach State School, a mere 200m from the National Landcare Conference.

The BCLN team will showcase their successful partnership-based model, which drives significant impact for local Landcare groups and the environment. Over the past 15 years, BCLN has coordinated projects that have planted more than 3.5 million plants, enhancing biodiversity and community engagement.

This model integrates on-the-ground efforts, partnerships, and community engagement to protect and restore local ecosystems. Core activities involve a diverse range of programs: the On-Ground Works Crew (weed control, planting, and fencing), the Invasive Species Team (fox, rabbit,feral cat control, and threatened species protection), a community Indigenous nursery, and our Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Education and Sustainable Agriculture programs.

For delegates, we hope to inspire a deeper understanding of the power of partnership-driven models in achieving significant community and environmental impact and spark conversations about reducing the administrative burden on volunteers, increasing youth involvement, and fostering engagement through hands-on education programs.

The Marna Banggara project is an ambitious landscape restoration initiative on South Australia’s southern Yorke Peninsula, aiming to reintroduce locally extinct species and rejuvenate ecological processes within a working landscape where conservation, agriculture, and community coexist.

The project has three main pillars; introduced predator control, native species ecology, and community and stakeholder engagement. The project offers diverse benefits to individuals and communities, such as enhancing agricultural productivity, supporting regional tourism through wildlife and conservation experiences and fostering deeper connections to the environment.

The Marna Banggara project demonstrates that collaborative conservation efforts can effectively restore biodiversity in multifunctional working landscapes. Marna Banggara is helping to build a healthier, more balanced landscape that supports both nature and human livelihoods. The integration of traditional knowledge, scientific research, and active community participation has been pivotal in achieving these positive outcomes.

Seven years into a 20-year plan, come hear what we’re up to.

The sedimentation of waterways significantly impacts riparian and aquatic biodiversity.  A NSW Department of Primary Industries’ 2016 report revealed a massive 140km sand slug in the Lachlan River, harming aquatic and riparian biodiversity, including endangered species.

Landowners’ cooperation at the farm level is the focus of this story, highlighting its significant regional effects and the benefits of broad collaboration. To mitigate biodiversity impacts such the destruction of Murray Cod breeding habitats, elevated turbidity and salinity, and reduced oxygen levels, the group focused on erosion control to reduce sediment leaving our farms and polluting the Lachlan annually.

Since 2019, monitoring suggests that the group has prevented thousands of tonnes of sediment from reaching waterways annually. It has significantly improved on-farm climate change resilience through better water and soil retention, stabilization of vulnerable areas, and the advantages of tree planting—increased shade and shelter, salinity reduction, and carbon sequestration.

Despite significant population declines since the 1960s, Toowoomba Region’s wild koalas remain resilient. Local landcare and koala rescue groups actively monitor, restore, and care for wild koala habitats.

Elsewhere, federal, state, and local governments or regional universities have led this work; however, in the Toowoomba Region, it’s managed via the Toowoomba Region Koala Conservation Strategy.

To ensure this local strategy is implemented and not ignored, local landcare groups have developed Action Plans as part of their contribution. This presentation will cover two projects completed by Pittsworth District Landcare and Save Mt Lofty Inc.

The presentation will cover the initial planning of a community-led koala conservation strategy, which involved local stakeholders and private philanthropy. These projects have paved the way for a regional koala conservation strategy, which can serve as a model for other areas and help delegates to develop similar plans across regions in Eastern Australia.

A pioneering community buyout of a commercial forestry plantation lease in Queensland’s Noosa Shire was enabled by an MOU signed in 2017.

The conversion of around 2,400 hectares from plantation to National Park, as part of the significant Yurol Ringtail conservation project, created a vital wildlife corridor between Cooloola and Noosa National Parks.

The project’s scale and innovative approach, including a multi-stakeholder buyout and the use of carbon credits to fund large-scale restoration, was groundbreaking. The strong collaborative framework has enabled Traditional Owner groups, Landcare, community organisations, and government to achieve substantial environmental outcomes for the region.

With its scale, this project has come with challenges. The task was too large for any one organization, yet the combined skills, resources, and knowledge resulted in a protected area of over 2400 hectares and upskilled Noosa Landcare and the Kabi Kabi People in the rehabilitation and restoration of a critically important landscape corridor.

Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Inc. integrates Indigenous knowledge with modern technology for sustainable land management. As a 100% Indigenous-led organisation, their mission is to connect Bama (local Traditional Owners) with land, preserve cultural pathways, and enhance environmental conservation efforts through training, employment, and innovation.

Led by Trevor Meldrum, a proud Kuuku Yalanji man, Queensland Biosecurity Ambassador, Chair of the Queensland Conservation Council, and Director of Queensland Water and Landcarers, he will share how his award-winning organisation blends First Nations Traditional Knowledge with modern technology to combat biosecurity threats. From weed management, identification and mapping to property maintenance and feral animal control, this approach delivers practical solutions for managing weeds, pests, and sustainable land use.

Delegates will gain tangible strategies for integrating indigenous land management practices into their communities and will leave with actionable insights to enhance biodiversity, strengthen resilience, and foster inclusive landcare collaborations.

The Branch River is a tributary of the Karuah River on the NSW Mid-north Coast. The Karuah River starts in the Barrington Tops World Heritage area and flows down to Port Stephens, where it links with the internationally significant Myall River Ramsar wetlands.

The project, based on strong landcare partnerships, addressed key water quality and biodiversity issues while providing biodiversity linkages across the landscape and delivering on the regionally significant Tops to Lakes Initiative.

This is an excellent example of how strong partnerships can leverage multiple funding sources to deliver ecological restoration.

This session will focus on harnessing the tenacity and passion of key landholders, neighbours and project partners being able to retain and direct this passion within the bounds of government funding guidelines, so a single project isn’t undertaken in isolation but becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

New wearable technologies are giving us more insight into how livestock use natural resources than ever before. New opportunities exist to improve grazing sustainability (socially, economically, and environmentally), lower greenhouse gas emissions, maintain biosecurity, and do it in ways that support development of environmental markets and enhancement of biodiversity outcomes.  

This presentation explores the current capabilities of wearable cattle devices, the data they collect, and how land managers can access and use this data for improved natural resource management. Case studies will highlight how livestock are sustainably grazed in designated offset and environmentally sensitive areas, where impacts are successfully measured and managed. 

Participants will learn how landcare groups can be more actively involved in livestock management activities in their local area. 

The world is facing insect extinctions on a massive scale. The ‘Insect Apocalypse’ could trigger the collapse of our world’s food web. The global market for neonicotine insecticides is expected to grow by 5.4% annually, and by 2032 be worth over $8bn. Are we mad? Can Integrated Pest Management (IPM) help save us? 

The standard IPM paradigm has become complicated, and in many cases, it’s complexity has become an impediment to adoption. Re-imagining the agricultural landscape, including flowers in crops, releasing natural enemies, and avoiding harmful fungicides and insecticides can be a very big first step.  However, there is quite a lot that can be done without ever having to fully embrace an IPM model if you don’t want to. This presentation discusses eight easy steps every grower can take to begin the IPM journey and cut insecticide use, with no investment in infrastructure, only a little time to re-adjust.  

The presenter has demonstrated that these steps can work and has upcoming projects to demonstrate it more widely.  

Delegates will get a better understanding of the sobering and precarious position we are in but most importantly, they will leave with a tangible, achievable direction forward and feel empowered to actively do something about it. 

In a drying climate with erratic rainfall in south-west of Western Australia, Katanning’s Broadacre sheep-and-grain farms are non-irrigated, primarily using established farm dam networks unsuitable for predicted future rainfall.  

As the cost of rebuilding infrastructure fit for the new climate is prohibitive, Katanning Landcare’s project used a Future Drought Fund grant to improve existing farm dams to work better for new rainfall patterns.  

Learn how Dam Covers and Enhanced Dam ecological systems reduced evaporation and improved water quality. The trials involved more heavy lifting, mud, kayaks, frogs and ropes than anticipated and uncovered passionate landholders, planted vegetation and revealed startling information about E. coli in dam water. 

This session gives practical advice and ideas on modifying existing farm water infrastructure, discussing the pros and cons of each system for those considering one or more of these pathways for their own landscapes. 

Majura Valley Farm is located in Canberra’s relatively dry, continental climate, 10 km from the CBD.

Our farm combines regenerative agriculture and community engagement to enhance the human experience with nature.

The farm uses holistic, regenerative methods, such as cover crops, rotational grazing, and mobile chicken sheds to improve soil health. 

We’ve demonstrated that regenerative agriculture and agritourism can successfully coexist and support social and environmental connections.

Landcare and environmental groups can use our story as a model for combining ecological restoration outcomes with community engagement.

This presentation looks at opportunities to promote regenerative agriculture across Australia, boost community wellbeing, invest in diversification, and create stronger local identities.

This session provides landcarers with insights into practical strategies for integrating these approaches, addressing potential challenges, and understanding their implications for sustainable landcare. 

Reversing Australia’s biodiversity decline requires maintaining healthy soils. 

However, much soil management information, including regional and industry specific case studies whilst available, are often hard to find. 

Soil Science Australia, with the help of funding from the Australian Government’s Climate Smart Agriculture Program (Natural Heritage Trust), has created the Smart Soils Resource Library.  Understanding soil is the vital first step in effective land management. Access to quality information supports sustainable land management by empowering landholders, landcarers and all those who rely on readily available, high-quality, technically sound information.  

This presentation introduces our new Smart Resource library and will teach delegates how to use, search, and suggest new resources. Learn how Soil Science Australia’s new user-friendly suggestion tool will be a game changer for resource sharing. What better place to include your case study or new extension output!

This presentation will show how, why, and where rising salinity is degrading highly productive farmland in southern Australia’s low-rainfall Mallee areas, intensified by extreme wet and dry periods.  We will demonstrate proven farmer remediation strategies using interactive, web-based decision tree tools.

Delegates will learn how saline degradation impacts farmland and gain practical tools and strategies farmers and landcarers can use to address it.   Delegates will learn how digital tools, remote sensing, and multimedia communication aid salinization restoration of landscapes.

Landcarers will explore using modern technologies and communication platforms to broaden access to and adoption of solutions. The techniques will inspire similar participatory research and on-farm extension efforts to solve land degradation problems.

This presentation highlights Southern Queensland Landscapes’ Natural Resource Recovery Program (NRRP), funded by the Queensland Government, as a leading example of collaborative, science-based groundcover and soil health initiatives. Integrating First Nations knowledge and community partnerships, the NRRP builds resilient, productive landscapes and advances sustainable agriculture across the region.

The presentation will showcase the NRRP as a case study of how targeted groundcover restoration and soil health initiatives over 66,000 hectares are advancing nature repair, climate adaptation, and sustainable agriculture in partnership with landholders, First Nations, and community groups.

This is an excellent opportunity for delegates to see the benefits of sharing knowledge and resources to strengthen landscape resilience and use outreach to promote the innovative, community-led work to build broader awareness and support for sustainable land management across regions and networks.

The best time to prepare for drought is before it occurs. No one understands the increasing frequency, severity and length of droughts caused by climate change better than Australia’s regional communities.

To build drought and climate resilience, the $5 billion Future Drought Fund (FDF) supports such communities. Farmer-centric, practical R&D is driven by partnerships between farming extension organizations and farmers.

FDF programs are contributing to sustainable agriculture with drought resilience practices, technologies, and approaches at scale.

Discover projects using drought-resilient land management practices, providing farmers with confidence and information to boost their drought preparedness and recovery.

Balancing productivity and ecological health are becoming increasingly challenging for Australian producers. Emissions tracking is emerging as a crucial tool in helping producers and landcarers make informed decisions. This session explores how emissions tracking supports both farm productivity and sustainability.

Ruminati, in partnership with Landcare Australia, is leading a pilot project (launched publicly in February 2025) that empowers producers and landcarers to measure and understand their on-farm emissions, as well as plan future emissions reduction scenarios.

Speakers Will Onus (producer and Ruminati co-founder), and Ang Hammond (Landcare Agriculture) will discuss why emissions data matters and share insights into developments in the agricultural supply chain. Delegates will hear what lessons have been learned so far from producers using the tool, and how tracking can drive practical benefits for landcarers and farmers, while also supporting positive environmental outcomes.

Telling a story of engagement, respect, and shared learning, the Indigenous Northern Beef project is an indigenous peer-to-peer learning group with twelve indigenous businesses collectively managing over 3.5 million hectares and 80,000 head of cattle. Sustainable, culturally grounded cattle enterprises offer valuable lessons for the Australian cattle industry in sustainable land management and biodiversity management.

The strong social capital built through trust, yarning, and time on Country connects Indigenous and non-Indigenous aspirations for land, livestock, and people. It has strengthened cultural connection, employment pathways, and industry relationships.

This session will share practical ways to listen, learn, and support Indigenous-led projects, championing land management that blends cultural knowledge with science for healthier, more resilient landscapes and communities.

Lasting, respectful partnerships prioritizing cultural respect, shared learning, and genuine collaboration will inspire delegates to contribute to inclusive, sustainable land management outcomes in their communities.