Young Australians join late Bob Hawke’s granddaughter to take action on environmental issues with Landcare

Landcare Australia

Tuesday December 1: This morning, the late Bob Hawke’s granddaughter Sophie Taylor-Price lead young people from across the country in the inaugural Landcare Youth Summit, a forum on the benefits of Landcare in tackling environmental issues.

Presenting from Parliament House in Canberra, Sophie hosted a series of Landcare panels and workshops to an online audience of 40 students from 20 schools and youth groups.
Experts in climate change, conservation, sustainable agriculture, Indigenous perspectives and community wellbeing from organisations including Climate Council, Farmers for Climate Action and the UN Youth program lead young people with inspiring project ideas and career pathways. Attendees also learned how to join an existing Landcare group or create a Landcare group at high school or in their community.
In a survey conducted by Landcare Australia, respondents aged 25 and under delivered the following statistics:
  • 98 per cent concerned about the future of Australia’s environment
  • 73 per cent would join a Landcare group to restore and protect the environment in their local community
  • 66 per cent believe climate change to be the biggest threat to Australia’s environment
  • 56 per cent would start their own Landcare group if they had support
“We need to work together with the younger generations to develop the future of Landcare. Young people are now more concerned and connected than ever with environmental issues,” Sophie said.
“But we don’t want them to just have a voice for the future. We want them to have a voice for today. It gave me great honour to host the Landcare Youth Summit, providing young people an interactive conduit to amplify their voice on how Landcare plays, and will continue to play a leading role in changing Australia’s approach to sustainable agricultural practices, environmental protection, conservation of land and waterways, coastlines and biodiversity.”
Discussion and insights from young people involved in the Landcare Youth Summit will assist the development of a National Landcare Youth Program. The program aims to create a pathway for children to be lifelong landcarers – from Junior Landcare early childhood centres and primary schools, to Landcare Youth Programs in high schools, to adult programs like Intrepid Landcare.
Following the Landcare Youth Summit there will be a webinar hosted on Thursday 4 December at 4pm AEDT. Facilitated by Sophie Taylor-Price with guest speakers Skye Dunn and Mitchell Livingstone from YACCA (Youth & Community in Conservation Action), the webinar provides everyone with the opportunity to hear the discussion on how we can arm the next generation with – knowledge, tools and ideas – to preserve this unique landscape by taking action with Landcare.
To register for the webinar – landcareaustralia.org.au/landcare-youth-summit-webinar-registration/
/Public Release.