NARC and Regional Council Role in Landcare
NARC has been involved with the emerging Landcare Initiative in the United States since the concept was brought back to this country from Australia by the U. S. Department of Agriculture officials. The Council for US Landcare Initiative, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) made up of private-public partnerships developed to harness the collective power of communities, businesses, and governments, in working towards strengthening America’s ability to conserve natural resources, enhance profitability, and improve social well-being while cultivating and expanding a community-based conservation ethic. NARC is recognized by the Council for US Landcare as a founding partner and important part of linking local and regional initiatives to a national model. Landcare partners are building upon current conservation and environmental infrastructure to promote public participation in a conservation ethic spanning the interrelated urban, suburban and rural places. The Landcare approach facilitates local partnerships to increase the capacity of individuals to take collective action across ownership and jurisdictional boundaries. Although Landcare is perceived as an environmental initiative, it delivers economic, social and environmental outcomes as well.
NARC and Regional Council Partners are looking forward to expanding on the collaborative work that they have already developed with the USDA Forest Service on landcare. Through a cooperative agreement between the Forest Service and NARC, NARC has passed on funding to four partners to complete multi-jurisdictional green infrastructure and landcare projects. NARC will continue to work with these partners as well as identify more regions working on multi-jurisdictional landcare initiatives.
NARC is looking forward to a new chapter in its relationship with the U.S. Forest Service, in promoting on the ground landcare initiatives. As part of this initiatives NARC will create and convene a collaborative summit in one of the six Mississippi River sub-basins to teach and train professionals about creating landcare projects in their communities. NARC will also work on creating a clearinghouse for regional landcare information on their website.
Email Peggy Tadej, Director of Research and Grants or call 202.986.1032 Ext: 224