of ideas related to caring for the land. Other activities include weed removal, using biological controls and farm beautification. Affiliates Landcare groups in Australia are supported by Landcare Australia as a national body as well as by national and state-based agencies or organisations, including: Landcare NSW; Landcare NT; The Landcare Association of South Australia, aka Landcare SA; Queensland Water & Land Carers; Landcare Victoria Inc. (LVI), formed in 2017 when the Farm Tree and Landcare Association (FTLA) merged with the Victorian Landcare Council (VLC) in 2017; Landcare Tasmania; and The Western Australia Landcare Network (WALN), formed in May 2013. Landcare Australia maintains the online National Landcare Directory (NLD), which includes a wide variety of community-based groups across Australia, including landcare networks and groups, farmers, landholders, traditional custodians, junior groups and coastcare groups. Governance The CEO of Landcare Australia is Shane Norrish. The organisation is governed by a board headed by chair (2021) Doug Humann , former leader of Bush Heritage Australia. National Landcare Awards Landcare Australia runs the biennial National Landcare Awards. The 2020 awards ceremony was postponed to August 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, with an awards ceremony hosted by ABC TV presenter Costa Georgiadis was held online, along with the Landcare Australia conference. Awards were given over nine categories, including youth, Indigenous, soil care and farming. Caring for Country There are a number of projects known as "Caring for Country" in operation. These focus on local Indigenous people working to repair Indigenous lands and to preserve the environment using their cultural knowledge and connection to country, and are often carried out in conjunction with non-Indigenous people and organisations who are willing and able to assist. The organisation and funding of Caring for Country projects is often different to local Landcare groups. Federal government landcare (under the National Landcare Program and Caring for Our Country budgets) has funded projects and Indigenous ranger positions. See also Conservation in Australia Environmental issues in Australia Indigenous rangers Phillip Toyne References External links Environmental organisations based in Australia Nature conservation in Australia 1986 establishments in Australia Land management in Australia Bob Hawke