With 48 speakers and over 270 attendees, the conference day was a huge event, bursting with ideas, a bustle of networking, and passions ignited or re-ignited for the Landcaring challenges ahead of us.
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The Day
Image: Jason conducting the smoking ceremony. © Nick Hanson
The day began with a moving and personal welcome and smoking ceremony with Fiona Hughes and Jason. Jason went around to each individual during the ceremony.
"The conference was full of interesting speakers and the smoking ceremony was amazing!"
Once we were all filed in (with goodie bags), the conference set off with and opening address from our MC Sally Dakis, and Landcare Tasmania's a/CEO Peter Stronach.
Keynotes Shasta Henry and David Lindenmayer kicked us off with some inspiring words about what makes humans special - hint, its our adaptability! Minister Guy Barnett gave address, and echoed Matt Evans' sentiments in Soil - 'Stop treating soil, like dirt'.
Images: A 'Follow the Speaker' Session with Alkeiya Brown (left) and Dr Vishnu Prahalad (right) © Kat Traill
There was a little something for everyone, and you could feel the buzz as people raced from room to room to listen to their next pick. The intimate 'follow-the-speaker' sessions were a great opportunity for attendees to get some of their questions answered with a favourite speaker, and go deeper into discussion in their field.
Image: The bustling break-times. © Nick Hanson
The breaks were as busy as the sessions! Several Landcarers shared their stories in interviews with us and the local media who attended. Delicious food was scoffed as people dashed around the room finding someone they'd been meaning to talk to.
Image: Celia Leverton of RANT with an attendee. © Nick Hanson
Attendees perused the range of informative trade stalls. There was Celia Leverton from RANT, Dr. Vishnu Prahalad from UTAS, NRM North, NRM South, Cindy Watkins with her stunning textile artwork and many more.
Image: Ruth Mollison Seed Workshop (left), Vicki Campbell Tool Tips Workshop (right). © Nick Hanson
Two terrific, hands-on workshops took place in the warm sun outside. Ruth Mollison taught a group how to store and collect native seeds and Vicki Campbell shared her top tips for taking care of your Landcare tools.
The programme really was packed, and Landcarers expanded their minds (and started strategizing for their next project, no doubt!) with the wealth of niche skills, information and case studies shared.
As the day came to a close, and the speaker sessions wrapped up, we all gathered in the big hall to hear from Landcare Tasmania's a/CEO Peter Stronach. Mr Stronach spoke to the hearts of all the Landcarers in the room and emphasised the real importance and far-reaching impact of local Landcare - and showed us the significance we have on the global stage.
Image: Ruth Mollison's seed workshop. © Nick Hanson
What They're Saying
"What a great Landcare Conference! - all of it!" -Anne Booth, Tasmanian Weed Society
"A highly rewarding and comprehensive programme. There was plenty we took away to bench mark our own activities and a spread of different ideas we can take back to the group" -Wynyard Landcare
"A highlight was learning about the many inspiring initiatives underway across Tas, driven by dedicated and passionate folk. The Landcare Conference was an excellent opportunity for participants to expand their networks and potential collaborations and it was great to be with inspiring people, which we all need to do more often." -Bill Harvey, Hobart City Council
"Congratulations to Tas Landcare for such an inspiring few days" - Sally Dakis, ABC Reporter and Conference MC
"The Landcare Tasmania conference provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of its volunteers and to strengthen community-based landcare by sharing knowledge, skills, and experience for best-practise land management." -Minister Guy Barnett
"It was awesome to be around positive people doing practical things" -Anon attendee
Gallery
Photos by © Nick Hanson of Nick H Visuals
None of it would have been possible without the hard, hard work of our team of staff and generous volunteers.
Image: Vollies gather around with Sally from Habitat Plants. © Kat Traill
Image: Priscilla (Staff), Declan and Jenny (Volunteers) © Kat Traill
Image: Tech support! © Kat Traill
Image: The big guns! Conference Event Coordinator Kat Traill, and a/CEO Peter Stronach. © Kat Traill
