Building Grassroots Participation in NRM – A Case Study

McKee JH¹*, McCullough PJ²*

1. NRM Consulting, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
2. Eureka Consulting, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

Toowoomba Landcare Group (TLG) was established in 2000 with the aim of increasing the urban and peri urban involvement and participation in NRM and environmental activities in and around Toowoomba. Since its inception, TLG group has grown to 526 members who are involved in environmental activities on a regular basis, 13 sub groups for which TLG acts as an administrative group, 2 staff and 6 part time community coordinators along with an annual turn over this financial year of approximately 1 million dollars. Regular events see 120 – 150 participants on average at each event and high levels of media which further encourages participation.

Much of this success story has resulted from particular strategies developed early in the Group’s life. These included;

• Minimal “bureaucracy” with a focus on providing opportunities for people to engage directly in activates which made a difference and were relevant to urban and peri-urban situations,
• The development and use of the slogan “get your hands dirty”,
• Building partnerships with Local Government, other specific issue and geographic based groups and individuals with similar aims,
• Building business partnerships to raise corporate funds and corporate involvement,
• Engaging with other likeminded groups in Australia and overseas,
• Developing projects which are innovative and challenging,
• The explicit use of the very well recognised landcare hands.

The resulting community engagement and participation has proved to be significant with this being recognised through level of political and media attention and requests to be part of basin wide projects as well as a conduit for regional processes.