Landcare officers work alongside local communities in most rural and some urban areas, to actively maintain the environment and to rehabilitate any degraded areas. Their role is to identify any problems affecting the local environment and to devise and establish programs or measures that will help overcome those problems and prevent similar ones occurring in the future.

Most landcare officers as Community Landcare Officers in the State's regional areas. These officers are employed by local government, catchment groups and land conservation district committees (LCDCs). Funding for these positions generally comes from Trusts or from other sources like local government, grants from private or other public bodies, and directly from landholders through voluntary or compulsory landcare levies. Landcare officers may also find employment with government agencies such as the Department of Conservation and Land Management and the Water and Rivers Commission.

Helping and Community ServicesInfluencing and Personal ContactOutdoor

You can work as a Landcare Officer without formal qualifications however entry to this occupation may be improved if you have qualifications.

TAFE SA offers courses relevant to this occupation including the Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management. Pathways include the Certificate II and III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management.

Still unsure? Then try a short course also offered through TAFE SA - check the website for short courses available.

This occupational group is still small and people in this line of work tend to remain in their positions for a long time. But, as people become increasingly aware of environmental issues and the importance of preventing land degradation and water pollution, employment prospects are likely to further improve. If you're interested in this type of work, you'll need to demonstrate a sound knowledge of environmental issues relevant to South Australia.

Their job is to assist communities in agricultural areas to realise their landcare goals and work toward achieving them through the coordinated use of community resources, such as donated trees from the local nursery for landcare activities. The first important step for these officers is to raise community awareness of environmental issues and to encourage the community to contribute ideas and possible solutions. They also encourage the community to actively participate in land rehabilitation exercises, such as tree planting.

These environmental advocates are responsible for land in a specific catchment area, and it's important for them to network with people from all parts of the catchment. Some of their more common tasks involve helping landcare groups to get started by accessing relevant information for them. They also assist individuals or groups in the community to make decisions about preventing and controlling land and water degradation. In addition, they regularly monitor the local environment by observing water tables, rivers and soils and making the results known to the community. Community groups with an active interest in taking care of bushland, can also seek the assistance of community landcare officers in activities such as seed collection and bush regeneration.

The majority of their time is spent planning and managing re-vegetation activities from the office. They also liaise regularly with the local council, community members, government departments and tourist bureau. They are also involved in coordinating the Junior Landcare Program, which includes a variety of activities such as 'bush walks,' where the school children learn about the local flora and its importance to the environment. A lot of a landcare officer's job involves public education and promotion such as encouraging residents to plant local native species in their gardens and producing a seasonal newsletter and information pamphlets on a variety of projects and issues.