WELCOME TO THE GLOBAL LANDCARE NEWSLETTER FOR 2025
Hello Landcare friends,
As Chair of the Global Landcare Trust, I’m delighted to welcome you to this edition of our newsletter – a celebration of the people and projects making a difference for our land and water around the world.
From community-led tree planting in Pakistan to agroforestry in Uganda, from restoring streams in New Zealand to regenerating farmland in Brazil, these stories show the power of local action to create global impact. Landcare is about communities owning both the challenges and the solutions – and your work proves that when people join forces, nature and communities thrive.
This newsletter is more than an update – it’s a tribute to all of you who give your time, skills, and heart to care for the land. Thank you for your passion and commitment. Together, we are growing a healthier future for people and the planet.
I’d also like to warmly invite you to our upcoming AGM:
Topic: GLC October Meeting
Date & Time: 14 October 2025, 6:30 pm (Auckland/Wellington)
Join via Zoom: Click here to join
Meeting ID: 861 9047 2808
Passcode: 880236
I look forward to seeing many of you there.
Best regards,
Dr Nick Edgar
Chair, Global Landcare Trust
These are the people, projects, and passion proving that when communities care for the land, the land cares for us all.
Welcome to Action Stories 2024, a showcase of Landcare in motion across continents — where determination, innovation, and community spirit come together to revive landscapes.
This year’s collection shares inspiring accounts of farmers restoring soil with agroforestry, young people leading tree planting, and communities building resilience through education and partnerships. These stories show how local hands and hearts can create lasting global impact.
As you read, we hope you’ll be inspired by the creativity, connection, and results achieved by landcarers worldwide — and find ideas to bring to life in your own community.
News From Around the World
Giant worms?
[South Gippsland Landcare Network] is currently working on a giant Gippsland earthworm (GGE) project, which includes on-ground works to protect four known colonies in South Gippsland. In the months ahead, we’ll also be inviting volunteers to help plant seedlings at some of these sites. The project also includes a pilot research trial using permanent soil moisture probes to better understand the conditions GGE colonies need to survive.
Image source and more information available here.
What kind of fertiliser do you use?
We can read about the possibilities on the impello website:
Simply put, biofertilizers are products containing microorganisms that promote plant growth. Strictly speaking, these products are not fertilizers, despite their name and classification.
Although both fertilizers and biofertilizers are input products meant to improve plant growth and development, the difference lies in how they affect such growth and development. Fertilizers directly enhance plant growth and development by supplying extra nutrients to the soil or the plant.
Meanwhile, biofertilizers indirectly enhance plant growth and development by utilizing microorganisms to enhance natural processes in the soil that affect plant growth. Different types of bacteria stimulate various biological activities in the ground. In addition, some microbes may work better than others depending on the environment, and learning about the different types of biofertilizers will help growers choose the best product for their crops.
Propagating weeds purposefully?
A Landcare nursery in South Australia has been persuaded to propagate weeds for a good reason!
“To restore a native grassland, we first need to understand what weed species are present at our planting site and how deep they are in the soil profile. Soil samples were taken from four different depths at eight locations across our planting site. Each sample will be grown in the [Nature Glenelg Trust] community nursery for the next 6 months so that we can determine which weed species are present. The results will help us to decide which site preparation and weed control techniques will help us to successfully establish native grasses.”
Food security in Virginia, USA
With concerns about global warming, … and waste, communities around the world are showing they can tackle the problems together with great success.
Six years ago in Grayson County, a small band of folk distributed 100 boxes of food. Now they are able to give food boxes to 360 households per month.
How did this happen? A few folks with a wild idea found the most amazing, and dedicated, group of volunteers, anywhere! They planned and the volunteers acted, including some private donors to boost the supplies. Food is picked up, delivered, stored, packed, and distributed by a devoted cadre of over 50 volunteers
Read the story here.
New Technologies lead to new techniques in Australia
The Project Platypus Biolinks Team in Western Victoria, Australia, wants to know more about the birds in their region.
They have embraced digital monitors to record not just images of birds, but also their calls. They are using what are called Birdweather Pucs. These are digital devices that use artificial intelligence to identify bird songs, allowing for continuous and long-term monitoring of indicator species like small woodland birds. They can add the new data to their shared “Biolink map” to connect and protect vital habitats across the region.
See more here.
Raising trees and Livelihoods
A new monograph has been published by the Australian government that should be of interest to many.
Digby Race and Gib Wettenhall (Eds),
Traditional farming practices of smallholders have commonly included the management of trees on farms for multiple purposes, including for food, fibre and shelter. While the integration of agriculture and forestry is an ancient practice, it also has a modern relevance.
Agroforestry has the potential to provide much needed food security and nutrition, as well as wood and other products. Combined, these benefits improve the livelihoods of farming families and the resilience of communities. Though individual operations are often small scale, at a national level, the aggregate impact of smallholders practicing agroforestry can play an important role in expanding the supply base for commercial timber industries, reforesting degraded landscapes and contributing to climate change mitigation measures.
This book draws together a decade of learnings and knowledge from more than 15 ACIAR-supported projects, synthesising the latest science on purposeful tree management, farming systems and value adding by smallholders in the world’s tropical regions. It captures the complexity and richness of smallholder forestry practice and illustrates the benefits for landscapes and livelihoods.
Get your free copy of the book here.
Raising biosecurity awareness in Papua New Guinea and Torres Strait islands
Given the close proximity of PNG to the Torres Strait, and thus Australia, there’s an ongoing risk of exotic pests, disease and weed movements between the two countries. Key biosecurity threats across the regions include those associated from migratory birds, flying insects, monsoonal winds and the movement of people and goods between Papua New Guinea, the islands of the Torres Strait and the Australian mainland.
The news on July 10, 2025, was that “Australia [is] free from high pathogenicity avian influenza in poultry”.
Australia has successfully contained and eradicated H7 HPAI in poultry several times in the last 50 years, including outbreaks in 2024 in Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Beth Cookson said Australia’s national emergency animal disease response arrangements continue to work.
“Agriculture Victoria has successfully implemented disease response activities to eradicate H7 HPAI in poultry on the affected farms and completed proof of freedom surveillance,” Dr Cookson said. This is an important way to control the risk to those in PNG and the Torres Strait islands.
You will find more about how the Australian Government prepares for a highly contagious strain of bird flu that is not in Australia but has spread quickly across the world here.
Landcare Europe
– the network that brings together agriculture, nature conservation and communities for biodiversity, resilient ecosystems and quality of life in our European cultural heritage landscapes.
Landcare Europe has regular workshops in different countries. In June 2025, there was a workshop in Romania.
“Modern and traditional agroforestry systems as natural carbon sinks – Practical implementation and requirements for CAP measures” and one is planned for September 2025 to be in Lithuania – “Peatlands as natural carbon sinks”.
Resources from the workshops are available here.
Landcare Europe has a major project to do with carbon storage. More information is here.
Landcare Europe website
Junior Landcare in Uganda
The Uganda Landcare Network (ULN) marked its 10th anniversary with a reflective and forward-looking Zoom meeting. The event celebrated a decade of achievements in sustainable development and environmental stewardship while focusing on the future of landcare initiatives in Uganda.
The Junior Landcare Program was a central topic, praised for engaging youth in environmental activities. Its success factors, such as fostering community participation, supporting schools, and promoting sustainable practices, were highlighted. Notable milestones included the establishment of over 100 community groups, numerous nurseries, and the planting of over 500 trees.
