MODEL OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEM: THE LANDCARE MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA

Abstract

At the international level, it is recognised that environmental problems are best handled with
the participation of all concerned citizens at the relevant level. However, the development of effective models
for promoting citizen participation to solve environmental issues remains a work in process. With the goal of
suggesting such a model, this study focuses on the system of Landcare in Australia, a nation-wide movement
of community-based natural resource management that has been tackling Australian’s serious environmental
problems. Through analysing the outcomes of in-field research in Australia, this study describes three
characteristic elements of the Landcare movement: establishing a system and a spirit of multi-party
partnership throughout the nation; securing coordinators, who with flexibility to adjust to each locale, support
local groups; and maintaining a holistic support system from governments who respect the autonomy of local
groups. Through the discussion, this study shows the strengths of the three elements such as the diversity of
the financial sources; and the challenges regarding the provision of financial and coordinating support to the
communities. Also, it shows that there are activities that local groups and their networks within the
movement have carried out that aim to overcome these challenges. This indicates that it is effective to
establish a program which has a system and spirit of multi-party partnership, secures coordinators, and
maintains a holistic support system from governments, for promoting citizen participation to deal with
environmental issues.