Communities caring for land and nature in Victoria

The inaugural Brian Nettleton Lecture links two of Brian’s views: 1) that it is important to get to know a certain area to be more a part of it and of nature; and 2) that areas suitable for outdoor adventure lie unnoticed near the centre of Melbourne. Nature needs our help given the serious and escalating threats. Increasing evidence shows that humans need nature in order to live happy and healthy lives. Personal examples, based on 40 years of activism, of the roles that community organisations have played in caring for land and nature in a local area in inner Melbourne, on a regional scale along a creek corridor and then on a State-wide scale are discussed. The active involvement of volunteers, employment of staff and evolution of organisations such as Friends of Merri Creek and the Merri Creek Management Committee have overcome a range of obstacles to environmental restoration. Outcomes include: creation of a heavily-used resource for environmental education and outdoor recreation by establishment of a bushland corridor in expanded public parklands. At a State-wide scale, the Victorian National Parks Association works for nature protection and has a strong record of successful campaigns. Currently, nature conservation and park management by Parks Victoria need substantially more public funding. Many people willingly volunteer to care for nature with practical restoration work, advocacy and organisational governance. Contributions by countless volunteers and community groups caring for nature have been essential to enable people to use and enjoy the outdoors in natural Victoria.