New Futures' first pilot landscapes nearing completion
The Landcare Networks began their landscape planning program from April 2024. The process consisted of a series of stakeholder landscape planning workshops and a Landscape Impact Program run by Regen Farmers Mutual, to identify landholder opportunities in emerging environmental markets, with a view of developing a landscape scale transaction.
The pilot landscapes are currently seven months through the nine-month process, progressing their shared understanding and partnership development through workshops and field trips.
The Windharp Horizons (Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Network) project braved a wet and cold winters day for their tour in June, to hear from farmers and landholders and the aspirations for their landscape. The Granite2Goulburn Group sat down with 15 stakeholder organisations to undertake their landscape visioning workshop together, with plenty to inspire.
Teaching Landcare members to think beyond the traditional natural resource management 'stakeholders' to broaden the horizon of those who have input in the landscape has been a big learning.
In August, Windharp Horizons and G2G met with investors to discuss their plans for their future and the co-benefits of sustainable agriculture, carbon farming and biodiversity.
“It was great to hear the enthusiasm from the pilot Landcare networks and the investors alike for their landscape projects,” Landcare Victoria Project Manager, Anthony Gallacher said. “They also gained information on how Landcare networks can target an investment strategy that aligns with their landscape restoration and biodiversity goals.”
Stay tuned for further updates. By the end of the year this process will culminate in each pilot landscape producing their own Landscape Investment and Action Plan.