Landcare Conference 2025: Collaboration, Custodianship and a Call to Action
By Conference delegates (Ed. Suzanne Pritchard – AABR Executive Officer)
Published in AABR eNews | October 2025
Stepping up for restoration
The 2025 National Landcare Conference was a powerful reminder that community-led restoration is thriving across Australia.
More than 650 delegates gathered to share knowledge, celebrate success and tackle the big questions — from youth engagement to climate resilience.
AABR sponsored four representatives, Jaz Judd, Ruth Hardy, Andrew Scott and Suzanne Pritchard to ensure bush regeneration was well represented in national discussions on ecological restoration and biodiversity policy. AABR President Peter Dixon was also in attendance spruiking bush regeneration.
“Hope isn’t a feeling, it’s a strategy,” said Doug Humann AM, Chair of Landcare Australia.
Youth leading the next wave
The Next Gen Forum was one of the liveliest sessions of the conference , packed with energy, honesty and vision.
Panellist Lindsay Davies said it best:
“Once young people connect to Country, everything changes, for them and the environment.”
AABR delegates identified strong opportunities to nurture young regenerators:
- Partnering with Intrepid Landcare to run youth-focused Walks & Talks
- Launching a “New to Bush Regeneration” webinar series introducing study and career pathways
- Exploring a Youth Representative Program to connect emerging practitioners to AABR working groups
These initiatives will help strengthen AABR’s future membership and bring new voices into our restoration community.
Learn more about AABR membership
Cultural leadership front and centre
First Nations leaders called for a deeper understanding of cultural knowledge as essential to ecological restoration.
Joe Morrison, CEO of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, reminded delegates that:
“Cultural infrastructure is as important as physical infrastructure.”
AABR will work toward:
Encouraging inclusion of First Nations partnership principles in future AABR event planning and educational resource development.
“We are all custodians,” Morrison said, “but the first custodians must lead the way.”
Policy & partnerships shaping the future
Senator Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water, announced bold environmental reforms — including:
- $200 million for urban waterways restoration
- A Nature Repair Market to boost private investment
- Stronger national environmental standards under a new EPA
“This is a watershed moment for the environment — built on partnerships and practical action,” said Watt.
For AABR, it was clear: our role in setting and sharing national restoration standards has never been more important.
We’ll continue advocating to ensure government-funded restoration aligns with the National Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration in Australia.
Read more about the National Standards
Building visibility – one conversation at a time
Many attendees admitted they hadn’t heard of AABR before this conference — but they have now!
Our on theme AABR shirts, stickers and friendly chats proved perfect conversation starters.
Delegates recommended that AABR establish a small annual Conference Engagement Fund to maintain a strong presence at future national events.
Visibility builds influence — and influence supports better restoration outcomes.
Voices from the floor
“AABR’s presence at the conference made a real difference — people now see bush regeneration as a critical part of the restoration story.”
— AABR Delegate, 2025
“It was inspiring to see the passion of young people stepping up for nature.”
— Conference Attendee
Keep the conversation going
Join AABR as we continue to champion best-practice bush regeneration and ecological restoration across Australia.
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