Community Care Groups
Bushcare
Bushcare is activity by community-based
volunteers assisted by government (often
local government) and non-government
organisations working to rehabilitate and
preserve bushland.
There are thousands of such groups across Australia, with volunteer members spending their ‘spare’ time doing this important work with so many benefits for both the natural environment and for the community.
The majority of work is done on public land in urban areas, with work also carried out on private land and in the urban rural fringe.
The Volunteer Coordinators Network (Natural Areas) has produced a valuable guide for organisations on Developing a Bushcare Volunteer Program with assistance from Landcare Australia partner, Pricewaterhouse Coopers. The VCN is an information sharing network of staff from government and non-government organisations throughout Australia who coordinate volunteer programs.
See our Volunteer page for more information on offering your time and or expertise to a local Bushcare group.
Links to some organisations promoting and supporting environmental activity and actions
Banksia Environmental Foundation
The Banksia Environmental Foundation provides Australia with a national vehicle to seek-out, acknowledge, reward and inspire environmental excellence through the annual Banksia Environmental Award.
Tel: 03 9419 7188
Email: info@banksiafdn.com
Birds Australia
A membership-based, non-government society for the conservation, study and enjoyment of wild birds and their habitats. They publish Wingspan - a full-colour magazine, and EMU - an ornithological journal and run the Atlas of Australian Birds program - Australia's biggest community-based environmental monitoring project.
Tel: 03 9882 2622
Email: mail@birdsaustralia.com.au
Conservation Volunteers Australia
Conservation Volunteers Australia's mission is to attract and manage a force of volunteers in practical conservation. Conservation Volunteers Australia completes more than 1,500 conservation projects across Australia each year. Volunteers perform all of Conservation Volunteers Australia's conservation work. CVA may be able to provide a team to work on your project.
Tel: 03 9686 5554
Email: info@conservationvolunteers.com.au
Eco-Portal
Eco-Portal - The Environmental Sustainability.Info Source is an information gateway empowering the movement for environmental sustainability. It provides full text searches of reviewed environmental internet content, news, links and more. You can search for any issue or limit your search by topics, including sustainability, air, land, ocean and water.
Environs Australia
Environs Australia is the Local Government Environment Network. It is a membership-based independent national association. The main aim is to advance, support and strengthen the participation of Australian Local Governments in the worldwide movement of councils towards local sustainability.
Tel: 03 9654 1322
Green Net Australia
Green Net Australia is run by a group of volunteers and have provided, so far, over 200 indigenous, community and environmental organisations with various free Internet services. They offer many grants to groups in a wide range of internet and related resources.
Email: home@green.net.au
Greening Australia Limited
Greening Australia's mission is to engage the community in vegetation management to protect and restore the health, diversity and productivity of our unique Australian landscapes. They have a national organisation with state based branches and can provide assistance with and advice for Bushcare funded programs.
Tel: 02 6281 8585
Email: general@greeningaustralia.org.au
Keep Australia Beautiful
The Keep Australia Beautiful Council is a federation of regional organisations which encourage and manage tens of thousands of community volunteers around Australia who are dedicated to the principles of sustainable living.
Land & Water Australia
Land & Water Australia's mission is to provide national leadership in generating knowledge, informing debate and inspiring innovation and action in sustainable natural resource management. Land & Water Australia's primary aim is to identify and fund R&D that will help maintain the natural resource base vital to Australia.
Tel: 02 6257 3379
Email: public@lwa.gov.au
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel provides a window on the world with outstanding, entertaining and engaging documentary programming. National Geographic Channel brings you closer to adventures, explorations, wildlife, peoples, cultures, science and natural phenomena through the highest-quality programming. Its documentaries showcase everything from mysterious ocean depths, to rain forests populated by the world's most endangered species.
Email: info@nationalgeographic.com.au
Planet Ark
Planet Ark's aim is to show people and business the many ways that they can reduce their day to day impact on the environment. They work with the public, business, councils and local community groups to achieve real and measurable results.
Wetland Care Australia
Wetland Care Australia has been granted funds from the National Wetlands Program of the Natural Heritage Trust for the Australian Wetland Repair Program. Under this program, funding will be available to commence wetland rehabilitation projects, as well as to support formal wetland planning towards implementation.
Tel: 08 8582 3677
Email: wca@riverland.net.au
World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF)
WWF is working with communities, governments, individuals and businesses throughout Australia and with our neighbours in the Oceania region to preserve our precious species, spaces and resources.
Tel: 02 9281 5515
Email: enquiries@wwf.org.au
