Alice Springs Rural
Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association
The Barkly Tableland contains about thirty pastoral leases and is an area of predominantly mitchell and flinders grass downs country. The Barkly Landcare and Conservation Association formed in 1995. This landcare group aims to establish sustainable land management practices in the Barkly region by involving beef cattle producers in matters relating to rangeland resource conservation and management. The Barkly group is currently in the process of developing projects to control and rehabilitate areas within the catchment affected by major weed infestations. They have just completed an NHT funded rehabilitation project in the Playford River catchment focusing on the control of Parkinsonia aculeata with support from DBIRD. An increase in on-ground landcare activities has resulted in station managers becoming more aware of the landcare ethic.
Central Land Council - Land Management Section
The primary role of the Land Management Section of the Central Land Council is to provide Aboriginal landowners with information, advice and support services to enable them to sustainably manage their land and achieve their land use aspirations. Land Management’s Land Assessment and Planning Unit conducts a cultural and ecological mapping program facilitating the exchange of information needed for land use planning and management on Aboriginal lands. Land Management provides environmental advice on the appropriate location of homeland communities. They are also represented on the recovery teams for the rufous hare-wallaby (mala), mulgara, bilby, central rock-rat, marsupial mole, great desert skink and Acacia undoolyana.
Centralian Land Management Association
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| CLMA controlling Athel Pine on Idracowra Station |
The CLMA was formed in 1988 by pastoral landholders and operates out of Alice Springs. The group aims to foster productive and sustainable land management practices in Central Australia. It has a strong membership and represents pastoral leases from Tennant Creek to northern South Australia (over 300,000 km2 of pastoral land). Projects are undertaken using a variety of Federal (including NHT) and Territory funding sources and member resources. CLMA has won two National Landcare Awards and seven NT Awards. The group strives for on-ground achievements. It implements its program consistent with a regionally-based land management strategy first devised in the mid-1990’s. Major components include: large-scale rabbit control, monitoring the ecological impact of rabbit calicivirus, laser survey system and erosion control, harvesting of native species seed, reinvigoration trials for specific land systems, weed control, pasture monitoring by producers, and threatened species issues. Quarterly meetings, a regular newsletter, demonstrations, field days, scientific conferences, public displays and the media are used to promote activities.
Centre for Appropriate Technology
The Centre for Appropriate Technology offers training modules that include landcare activities. The modules cover: problem solving, design and technical skills; water use with an emphasis on landcare and permaculture; waste management including reuse and recycling; shelter environment including dust suppression, tree planting and wind breaks; transport including paths, roads and access control; and communicating with people about landcare.
Institute for Aboriginal Development
IAD develops and delivers accredited training in land conservation and restoration for aboriginal people living in Central Australia. IAD works with communities and outstations which have developed “landcare action plans” with either Tangentyere or the Central Land Council or through the NHT and focuses on providing the necessary skills and training to implement the plans.
Iteyepinye Aboriginal Corporation
The group is carrying out various land management projects to address environmental issues on their country on the Iwupataka Aboriginal Land Trust. Members of the community are studying horticulture and land management through the IAD. Plans are to develop a conservation and sustainable management plan for the area including a photographic record of environmental improvements and recovery of native vegetation.
Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation Land Management Unit
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| Planting park area at Wogyala community |
Julalikari Council’s Land Management Unit services over thirty Aboriginal communities within 400kms of Tennant Creek. Their main activities involve dust suppression projects to improve living conditions. Raising awareness about native vegetation and encouraging use of local plants in dust suppression and other projects are also key activities. Direct seeding programs are now being implemented. The council operates the Karguru Nursery which supports their land rehabilitation work and also supplies plant stock for other local projects including home gardens. They have employed a seed bank officer to establish a native seed bank. The Land Management Unit initiates strategic planning for sustainable land management and empowers the communities to plan and implement their own projects in land management and enterprise development.
Laramba Community
In response to dust and associated environmental health problems the Laramba community have worked with Tangentyere to carry out revegetation and associated dust control activities. The project involves tree planting, direct seeding and educational activities. Students from the school have been involved in carrying out the work. As a result the community’s attitude has changed to being more resourceful towards looking after the community and land.
Tangentyere Council Landcare and Environmental Health Unit
Tangentyere Landcare assists bush communities, outstations and town camps across the Central Australian region with landcare and environmental protection work. Their delivery contains a strong emphasis on education. Areas where they can help include development of community and house yard landcare plans; supporting aboriginal landcare groups; planning bush tucker projects; facilitation of landcare projects, etc including advice and practical assistance. Through a NHT funded 'devolved grant' project they are able to provide significant resources to community projects for on-ground landcare works. They are even available to assist groups to plan a project and write an application for the scheme. A Tangentyere Landcare youth program provides support to other agencies, especially schools, to include traditional ecological knowledge, and contemporary 'scientific' knowledge ("Land & Learning") for young people in landcare education. Tangentyere Landcare operates a nursery specialising in native and food plants. Aboriginal families are able to pick up 10 free plants per month. Plants are for sale to the public or for larger projects on Aboriginal communities. Together with Greening Australia they maintain a seed bank to provide seeds for rehabilitation and bush tucker projects. Tangentyere Landcare also owns a landscaping business, "Indigenous Landscapes NT Inc.", able to undertake landscaping contracts within Alice Springs or remote communities. Previous contracts have involved training programs for local aboriginal people.
Tjuwanpa Outstation Resource Centre
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| Tjuwanpa's nursery assists with dust suppression projects |
This centre services over forty outstations. They have been controlling athel pine with DBIRD between Glen Helen and Finke Gorge. Support for dust suppression activities is provided to outstations. A plant nursery supplies trees for projects around outstations. In conjunction with NRETA and the CLC soil conservation work has been carried out. Training has been provided to Tjuwanpa machinery operators on repairing gullies, reinstating natural water flow, making ponding banks and planning earthworks to prevent soil erosion. Many of the activities undertaken also support a program for aboriginal involvement with NRETA management in the Finke Gorge National Park
