Connecting local people to make positive environmental change

Find your local Landcare community ⟶

Up2Us Landcare Alliance is a community organisation within Mansfield Shire which aims to lead in the preservation, protection and enhancement of our land and water ecosystems by empowering community and individuals to act.

Up2Us Strategic Objectives

Up2Us endeavors to achieve our purpose by: 

  • Maintaining and improving the natural resource base through advocating for environmentally sustainable management

  • Being a community organisation which promotes Climate-Smart initiatives

  • Providing informed educational programs than enhance community awareness of our natural assets

  • Maintaining a robust governance structure to ensure the longevity of the network and activity of the groups

Strategic Pillars

Environmental Sustainability

  1. Pest plant and animals

    2. River health

    3. Biodiversity

    4. Soil health

Community Education

Facilitate and deliver programs to:

  1. Kindergarten

  2. Primary School

  3. Secondary School

  4. Community

Climate-Smart Initiatives

  1. Support and initiate Climate Smart activities

  2. Support opportunities for promoting environmentally sustainable agriculture

Robust Governance

  1. Maintain financial viability

    2. Plan for succession

    3. Support Landcare groups

    4. Strategic Development

History

The Mansfield District is located in the North East of Victoria approximately 180km from Melbourne. The region includes diverse landscapes including alpine ranges, important river ecosystems and grassland valleys. The Mansfield District is home to more than 7 000 people with an average growth rate of 1.43% (regional Victoria average 0.53%). This increase can be attributed to the ‘tree change’ phenomenon with the rural and natural assets of the District attracting significant migration from the Melbourne area. The 3 main industries of the District are tourism, business services and agriculture. These factors have resulted in significant pressures on the very assets that attract people to the area so that conserving them is an important task.

The first Landcare groups to form were Fords Creek (1989), Ancona Valley (1989), Upper Broken River (early 1990s), and Delatite (1993). In 2008, Up2Us Landcare Alliance (Up2Us) was formed to be a locally based network within the Mansfield Shire to better engage the Mansfield community in landcare and environmental issues.

Up2Us currently works collaboratively with local, state and federal government as well as community organisations within the Mansfield Shire Council boundaries. The range of our activities extend to assisting landholders with an understanding of their land and its management, tree planting, waterway health, community education, school education and pest plant and animal management.