Little River Landcare Group

The Little River Landcare Group (LRLG) is a nonprofit environmental organization based in New South Wales, Australia, dedicated to nurturing a healthy, productive, and diverse biological and social environment within the Little River catchment area. Established in 1998, LRLG focuses on natural resource management, community engagement, and sustainable land use practices to promote long-term ecological and economic resilience.

Vision and Mission

The group's vision is to nurture a healthy, productive, and diverse biological and social environment. LRLG aims to build a robust community of practice encompassing landholders, land managers, local businesses, community groups, schools, and town residents. Their mission centers on enhancing landscape resilience through on-ground environmental restoration and education programs that address natural resource management challenges such as salinity, erosion, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

Geographic Scope

The Little River catchment covers approximately 290,000 hectares and includes five sub-catchments: Baldry, Cumnock, Suntop/Arthurville, Tonngi, and Yeoval. The majority of the catchment lies within the Cabonne Shire Local Government Area in New South Wales. This diverse district faces environmental challenges typical of rural Australian landscapes, including salinity, soil degradation, and threatened ecological communities.

Activities and Projects

Since its inception, the Little River Landcare Group has secured and delivered over $10 million in project funding. Their projects have included:

• Extensive tree planting initiatives to combat salinity and soil erosion
• Restoration and rehabilitation of creeks and river streams to enhance biodiversity
• Promoting improved grazing management and cropping methods to protect soil health
• Delivery of education programs to increase awareness and knowledge about climate change and sustainable land use
• Support for regenerative agriculture practices and restoration of endangered ecological communities

These efforts aim to improve ecosystem services, promote biodiversity, and ensure the financial stability of local landholders and communities.

Core Focus Areas

LRLG’s work is built around three interconnected components critical to the health of the Little River catchment:

• Environment: Restoration and rehabilitation projects focused on improving natural habitats and reducing land degradation
• Social: Enhancing community well-being by fostering collaboration, education, and engagement across diverse groups
• Economy: Supporting stable and sustainable local economies through resilient land management and agricultural practices

Community Engagement

The organization actively engages with external stakeholders, including government agencies and other community organizations, to encourage the adoption of sustainable and regenerative grazing management practices. Through educational outreach, workshops, and collaborative projects, LRLG fosters a culture of environmental stewardship among all age groups and sectors within the catchment.

The Little River Landcare Group exemplifies a successful community-driven approach to integrated natural resource management, balancing environmental restoration with social and economic resilience for the future of the Little River catchment area.

[1] https://littleriverlandcare.com.au [2] https://littlerivercommunitylandcare.org [3] https://landcare.nsw.gov.au/groups/little-river-landcare-group [4] https://blog.techsoup.org/posts/the-little-river-landcare-group [5] https://littleriverlandcare.com.au/about/