Landcare shows 'LIFE' is Pozible
PRESS RELEASE
LANDCARE SHOWS 'LIFE' IS Pozible
Canberra, ACT, June 5, 2014
Landcare has teamed up with the digital platform Pozible in a partnership to crowd-fund local Landcare and environment projects in Australia and overseas.
With Landcare celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, this initiative continues the Landcare tradition of innovation that led farmers and conservationists to plant the seed that grew into the national Landcare movement, now an Australian institution that is now extending its reach around the world.
The Landcare/Pozible partnership will give grassroots landcare and environmental groups the opportunity to access new funding sources. This is particularly important in a constrained funding environment.
Landcare NSW Chairman, Rob Dulhunty said: “Thousands of volunteers are conserving soils, restoring rivers and supporting sustainable farming practices. They have skills and knowledge but need funds to buy equipment and carry out the work. Meanwhile millions of people in Australia and around the world support environmental conservation and are willing to donate to a worthwhile cause. This global initiative provides a bridge to link environment projects to crowd-sourced funds.”
Pozible Co-Founder and Director, Alan Crabbe said at the launch "Pozible is delighted to partner with Landcare to launch the Landcare Environment Collection. We look forward to showcasing environmental projects and giving amazing community initiatives that will make a tangible difference, a chance to access community support and funding".
Coinciding with World Environment Day on 5th June, Landcare and community leaders met at the National Arboretum in Canberra to launch the specific category called "The Landcare and Environment Collection", which can be accessed through the link: http://www.pozible.com/landcare.
The partners will now develop The Collection to help communities take their projects to the world for funding and support.
Local landcare and environment groups will receive training to help them to design and promote their projects via the Pozible platform to attract the interest of willing crowd funders.
This initiative will build awareness of landcare and inspire discussion around critical issues of food security, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. It is a catalyst for people to come together to harness resources and take responsibility for the environment. With 57,000 landcare volunteers in NSW alone, the numbers are significant.
“This will give people in Australia and overseas an opportunity to directly fund projects and it’s a platform for local groups to showcase their work. Landcare is very excited about the opportunities of taking part in the growing field of grassroots philanthropy,” said Landcare NSW Chairman, Rob Dulhunty.
By placing local projects on a “digital shop-front” the hardworking men and women who volunteer in landcare and environment groups have the opportunity to promote their work and attract support.
Landcare has taken the 60’s slogan “Think Global, Act Local” to a new realm with The Collection, by sharing the platform with groups across Australia and the world. The Collection will promote and support projects in countries including Africa, South-East Asia, the Pacific, North America and Northern Europe.
Australian Landcare International Chairman, Rob Youl OAM said: “Some 25 countries have some sort of Landcare program thanks to dedicated networking and outreach by the Landcare community. For example we have projects underway or being discussed in places including Cameroon and Timor Leste, the Philippines, New Zealand, Germany, South Africa and Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sri Lanka, Laos, Tanzania, Nigeria, Tonga, Fiji, Java, Columbia, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The Collection will be an incredible help for us in taking our 25 year old invention of Landcare to the world.”
The Collection has been embraced by all landcare bodies, including the National Landcare Network, State and Territory Landcare Networks, Australian Landcare International and the Australian Government’s corporate and business partnerships agency, Landcare Australia Limited.
“This is a partnership that involves the whole landcare movement,” said Landcare NSW chair Rob Dulhunty. “It will also benefit government departments, business and philanthropic groups who want to invest in environmental projects. Rather than issuing a funding round and processing applications they can access information on the digital platform and directly fund projects they wish to support. Or they may wish to co-match funds raised through crowd funding. We already have interest from groups such as Gondwana Link and the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative.”
The landcare movement is excited to be developing a new method to generate funds so the capacity and willingness of local volunteers can be harnessed.
National Landcare Network Chairman, Landholder David Walker said: “Landcare members are confident about the value of their work. We need to press the case for continued substantial government funding to unleash the potential of community volunteers but at the same time we need to generate new sources of support.”
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If you would like more information about The Landcare & Environment Collection and the Landcare-Pozible Partnership, please contact Jen Quealy at 02 4753 6373, Mobile 0404 847 302 or email: jquealy@landcarensw.org.au
To register for the sessions simply email register@landcarensw.org.au or got to Eventbrite website, where the sessions are listed: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-landcare-environment-collection-webinar-tickets-11839338781
