ALI has a committee that meets regularly to plan our program. We also have a network of members who act as resource people for ALI’s various activities. Our activities include:
Writing, editing and publishing
ALI members write articles and edit books on Landcare history and practices in Australia and other countries. Our most recent publication is Landcare: local action – global progress, produced with Landcare International . ALI members have written the official version of Landcare in Australia for each of the three International Landcare Conferences over the last 10 years.
Travel Fellowship
We manage a Travel Fellowship, funded by private donors, for an experienced Australian Landcarer to visit a nominated country. Fellows have visited Sri Lanka, USA, New Zealand, South Korea and Kenya. Ten Fellowships have been offered over the last 4 years.
Training
ALI is interested in improving Landcare practice in other countries and is always seeking ways for Master Class training that is appropriate for overseas groups. ALI organised Landcare training workshops for international participants to the September 2011 World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in Brisbane , Australia. We also organised a short study tour for Thai officials who visited Victoria in July2011 to look at the community impacts and actions resulting from soil and water salinity. Japanese university students interested in landscape management visited Australia in August 2011 and were introduced to Landcare groups and projects by ALI. In February-March 2012 ALI members gave workshops at the 2012 New Zealand Landcare Trust Conference and the African Landcare Master Class in Kenya.
We are providing advice and guidance to new Landcare projects
This is particularly helpful in developing countries where access to support and ideas is limited. ALI members have made visits to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Tonga, the Philippines, South Korea and the United States to discuss the implementation of a Landcare approach to sustainable food production and resource conservation. ALI is currently looking for ways to encourage Landcare in several project areas such as Sri Lanka, Chile, Indonesia, India, Tonga, Nigeria and Nauru. There are good opportunities for Landcare to be an accepted mechanism for rolling out extensive programs under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UMCCD), particularly in Africa and the Middle East.
As a new organisation we are still in the process of providing other services. We aim to:
Become the prime contact for Landcare in Australia
ALI members have had long experience in government, corporate and NGO organisations and are in a good position to best respond to overseas requests about Landcare. We are starting up a service for overseas requests for information about Landcare in Australia. Contact us here
Build a database of Landcare expertise
There are numerous Landcare advisers and coordinators across Australia who could assist overseas project managers and new groups with operational skills. We planto build an online directory of this network. Contact us if you are interested in supporting this project with funding and /or expertise in databases.
Have an effective way to provide information to international visitors .
ALI members welcome visitors to Australia who are interested in the Landcare approach. ALI would like to be able to advise, and maybe even arrange for, visitors to tap into the Australian Landcare experience at a personal level with farm and group visits.
