I thank the Victorian community for coming together to support one another during the extreme weather events we have experienced this summer. To those working on the ground to keep our communities and environment safe, and those supporting these fire efforts state-wide, I am grateful for your dedication, resilience and bravery. I am continually impressed by the hard work and dedication of Victoria’s land managers, emergency services staff and volunteers in preparing for and responding to bushfires.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Landcare volunteers across Victoria supporting the response and recovery efforts in their local communities.

Landcare and environmental volunteers play a critical role in innovative and sustainable land management practices across the State. There are over 1400 Landcare and environmental volunteer groups and networks across Victoria who are caring for landscapes. These groups and networks are where local knowledge is shared, scientific expertise is sought, and best practice is demonstrated.

This magazine issue showcases stories from Landcare working on groundbreaking projects led by farmers aimed at creating a more sustainable and resilient future. Landcare groups cover 59 per cent of the state’s total area and 68 per cent of Victoria’s private land.

Sustainable land management is complex – it encompasses building healthy soils, managing water resources effectively, preventing soil erosion, sequestering carbon, adapting to climate change, and improving biodiversity.

Planning for the future always requires an understanding of the past. The Warrenbayne Boho Land Protection Group (WBLPG) has been a driving force in protecting soil, water, and vegetation since 1984. The group is revisiting Whole Farm Planning, which it first undertook in the 1990s, to bring neighbours together so that on-ground works could be cooperatively and strategically planned. This time WBLPG has collaborated with experts from the Australian National University and La Trobe University to host workshops focused on sustainability, helping a new generation of landholders to plan for the future.

This issue highlights the Mallee Sustainable Farming Group, which shares its success in reclaiming salt-affected landscapes. Their innovative use of interactive decision trees is helping growers manage salinity issues on a landscape scale, bringing once-unproductive land back into use.

The National EcoVineyards Program is another exciting initiative featured in this edition. By encouraging wine grape growers to plant low-growing native ground covers, the program aims to increase the resilience, functionality, and profitability of vineyards. Demonstration sites in the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula are showing how these innovations can help the industry meet its goal of maintaining functional plant cover year-round.

We also catch up with Victoria’s equine Landcare groups, who have come together to form the Victorian Equine Landcare Community of Practice. This network enables horse owners to share resources, host events, and improve their land management skills, addressing the
challenges such as parasites, water sources, and manure, as well as fencing, shelter provision and equine nutrition.

Thank you to everyone involved with these projects, for driving more sustainable land management and improving the health of our environment.

We know many readers like to read their copy of the magazine at the kitchen table, and that these copies are often shared with family, friends, and neighbours. As we celebrate these remarkable stories of sustainability and collaboration, we also encourage you to consider making the switch to an online subscription of the magazine. Reading online helps us reduce paper, printing, and postage to be more sustainable. If you’re ready to make the change, please email Landcare Victoria Inc. at info@landcarevictoria.org.au.

Steve Dimopoulos MP
Minister for Environment
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events
Minister for Outdoor Recreation