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“During COVID, I think groups like mine actually came out on top because we had all these people craving connection to each other and going outside, and we were lucky to be able to keep facilitating that even with the safety requirements.
“People were feeling really helpless on the back of the black summer bushfires so participating in some sort of ecological restoration, particularly young people, can help you feel less hopeless.”
Gabrielle Stacey has used social media to increase the number of young people getting involved with Landcare.Credit:Janie Barrett
A 2021 report prepared by KPMG found 90 per cent of volunteers with Landcare feel more connected to people, and 93 per cent feel more connected to the environment. A majority of both groups said their mental wellbeing had improved as a result; this finding was even stronger for younger people.
While Stacey leads an existing Landcare group caring for a particular site, most of the young newcomers have joined one of 24 Intrepid Landcare groups on the east coast, which have a roving brief.
Intrepid Landcare was formed in 2015, the year after Landcare’s 25th anniversary amid a board-level push to attract more young people.
Research revealed that the main barriers to youth participation were a lack of time, not knowing what opportunities were available, not feeling comfortable turning up to projects alone, and not knowing anyone.
Landcare Australia board member Naomi Edwards co-founded Intrepid Landcare with Megan Lee in 2015, kicking off with a leadership retreat for young volunteers. Edwards said the groups target 18-35 year-olds from diverse backgrounds.
Billed as a “VIP back-stage pass to nature”, the concept is combining traditional Landcare activities, such as weeding and planting, with adventure. Edwards said this included everything from camping in remote national park areas only accessible by helicopter to workshops on botanical drawing.
The organisation has also strived to engage with First Nations culture and emphasise connection to country.
Edwards said there were scattered Youth Landcare initiatives before Intrepid, but nothing unified.
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Part of the problem was the word “youth” was a turn-off for many young people who associated it with church groups.
“When you’re 18 or 30, you don’t really see yourself as ‘youth’, you see yourself as a young adult or a young professional,” Edwards said.
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