Volunteers warn of 'uncertain' future for Landcare work

But the Hindmarsh Island Landcare Group, which has helped introduce 700,000 plants to the degraded environment, has run out of money and can't prepare for 2024.

"At the moment we're just living on the smell of an oily rag," group chair Richard Owen said.

The long-serving volunteer spends more than half of his time applying for grants and having to account for the funding.

"A huge amount of time is spent being able to justify what we have done when we would rather be out planting," Mr Owen said.

"We've got an island that needs to be much more biodiverse so we can save the bird numbers, we've got climate change impacting, this is urgent."

Not long after Landcare Week celebrated their work, volunteers feel underfunded, unsupported and overrun by grant writing.

In Western Australia over the past 30 years, a third of the 111 organisations registered with Landcare are no longer functioning.

"Since then even more groups have really struggled to get funding," chair of Landcare WA Mick Davis told AAP.

"A lot of them are suffering that slow death because of the challenges they have."

Jim Adams is chief executive of the National Landcare Network, a peak body representing more than 160,000 volunteers, and says the once mighty movement faces an uncertain future.

"It's certainly under threat if there isn't a turnaround in the way the government approaches these things, because we do find it increasingly challenging," he said.

Mr Adams, who is paid for his position, also accuses Landcare Australia of becoming too corporatised and being out of touch with those on the ground.

"At the very time we need to be empowering grassroots and community more than ever, they're feeling less and less supported and empowered," he said.

"There's a bunch of money but it's much less than it used to be.

"The amount of funding that gets directed down through to volunteers has reduced dramatically over the last decade."

The volunteer groups are supported by small state and territory Landcare bodies, which are heavily reliant on the state and federal budget cycle, plus fundraising.

Mr Adams has repeatedly raised his concerns with current and former federal governments.

The volunteers' gripes are twofold. The first is with governments because of funding uncertainty, and the second is with Landcare Australia.

Set up in 1989 by then-prime minister Bob Hawke, Landcare Australia is the corporate arm of the movement.

Volunteers formed the National Landcare Network in 2009 to represent its members, with several attempts made since to merge the two.

Tensions have been simmering for years between Landcare Australia Limited and grassroots volunteers, but not all Landcare groups are unhappy.

Louise Turner works for Landcare in both paid and volunteer roles in far western NSW and says her organisation is well supported.

"We're well set up and we're well funded," she said.

Her group cares for more than 40 per cent of the state and is funded by the state government.

"NSW is really well funded through the state government, all of the other states and territories are not very well funded," she said.

The federal government recently committed more than $1 billion for the landcare movement, supporting a range of measures for natural resource management, biodiversity protection and sustainable agricultural practices.

Some $14.5 million of that is to be shared between Landcare Australia Limited and the network of volunteers.

Keith Bradby, the former chair of Landcare Western Australia, said Landcare Australia Limited was an invention of government.

"We're not sure what it does now, but it certainly does not represent the Landcare movement," Mr Bradby said.

There's a lack of transparency when it comes to how much money filters down to community groups from Landcare Australia, he said.

"I would really love to see a clear breakdown on how much is going to each of the sectors, specifically, the community groups."

Responding to criticism, Landcare Australia head Shane Norrish pointed to financial statements published online.

He said the organisation provided community groups with more than $4 million, funding 2540 projects in the 2021/22 financial year.

In its annual report that year, almost $16 million in funding was awarded to groups through grants, corporate volunteers and donations.

"The team at Landcare Australia work hard to develop partnerships with multiple stakeholders that deliver funding for quality, on-ground projects," Dr Norrish said.

"We are working hard every day with groups across Australia to get more funding on the ground.

"Landcare groups need support to undertake their outstanding projects in an increasingly competitive funding environment."

The latest available Landcare Australia Limited financial report for 2021/22 shows a net deficit after tax of $470,000 for the not-for-profit company, but there are assets and cash in reserve.

More than $19 million was spent on payments to suppliers and employees, understood to include about $14 million from the federal government for a bushfire recovery project.

The directors' report outlines the company's principal activities as including the funding of Landcare, Landcare Farming, Junior Landcare, Coastcare and Bushfire Recovery awareness and community group projects.

Farmer Louise Hufton has been involved with the Harden Murrumburrah Landcare group in south western NSW for three decades and said Landcare Australia had been instrumental in helping their work.

But Mr Bradby said too many groups were feeling the squeeze.

"Landcare groups across the country are engaged in a very wearing ongoing fight for survival," he said.

Mr Bradby runs a large-scale land rehabilitation program called Gondwana Link, which works in collaboration with dozens of Landcare groups and environmental organisations.

"They get very little support to operate as viable community organisations ... it's been a downhill slide.

"What government support they get has declined over the last few decades and even the project money they access is diminishing."

In the nation's capital there are also concerns.

"The structures we put in place should be focused on getting funding out there to those on the ground," ACT chair Maxine Cooper said.

While recent Landcare programs supporting bushfire recovery have been a success, Dr Cooper said an overhaul was needed in the way Landcare Australia and the network of volunteers operated.

"We need a complete refresh and reinvigoration," she said.

The federal government is yet to determine how it will allocate $14.5 million in funding for Landcare over the next five years, with a competitive grant process opening later in 2023 to the National Landcare Network and Landcare Australia Limited.

Landcare Australia Limited was previously given $7.8 million over five years while the National Landcare Network received $5.4 million over the same period.

Funding for landcare activities sits with the departments of environment and agriculture.

"The government has committed to a range of programs and initiatives that will provide opportunities for the landcare movement, including the $1.1 billion Natural Heritage Trust," a departmental spokesperson said.

"Organisations and groups will have the opportunity to apply for grant funding, or partner with a local regional natural resource management delivery partner, to deliver on-ground action in their local area."

Australian Associated Press