An announcement of extended funding for natural resource programs is likely sometime next year. In the meantime there is an increasing imperative to maximise the use of alternative sources of funding. We need to ensure that sponsorship, partnership arrangements with research organisations and local government are being used to their full potential. The Northern Territory Government will be examining the most efficient methods of providing support to Landcare groups in remote regions, including technical and administrative support and regional partnerships in land management. The development of regional strategies for the Northern Territory is a high priority in response to a growing number of groups which recognise that sustainable resource management requires strategic direction, regional coordination and commitment to long term goals.
Prevention is the goal.
Future development needs to employ an effective Landcare decision making system. There is an over-riding concern about the level of bureaucracy Landcare groups have to deal with, especially with regard to funding. It will be up to the various levels of Government and the community to work together in formulating a process that will suit everyone s needs. Landcare sometimes provides the only common ground for administrators, economists, scientists, conservation groups, industry, indigenous groups and graziers. The future of Landcare depends on the continuing exchange of information between these sectors of society and the building of partnerships based on mutual respect and cooperation.