Landcare groups to start new community workshops

The workshops will encourage locals to become land stewards of their own. Photos: SUPPLIED

BELLARINE Landcare Group and Geelong Landcare Network will today kickstart a new workshop series targeted at empowering small landholders to become land stewards.

The Small Producers Workshop Series will give locals an insight into how they can best manage their properties and the local environment to create both healthy land and healthy produce.

Sunday’s introductory session will be held at the Common Ground Project in Freshwater Creek and involve a Welcome to Country, project overview and a farm tour courtesy of Common Ground Project chief executive officer Felicity Jacob.

The workshops have previously run in other regional locations, including Colac.

Bellarine Landcare Group vice president, Kate Lockhart said the session would provide practical skills around biodiversity, water, soil and weed management.

“With the help of local producers and the Landcare team working on this, the workshops are a great chance for people to get an understanding of natural resource management on small farms or agribusinesses.

“Getting more landholders involved in sustainable agriculture is becoming more and more important, especially for our region, and we’re looking forward to helping people develop a stewardship plan for their chosen enterprise while supporting the environment.”

The workshops will run once a month until November.

The workshop series will run about once a month until November.

The Small Blocks Big Dreams project is one of 11 ‘Our Catchment, Our Communities’ regional on ground projects funded by the Victorian government to support catchment stewardship, health and resilience.

For more information, head to ccma.vic.gov.au/projects/small-blocks-big-dreams