Community Connect: Green champions restoring landscapes across South East Queensland

Community conservation in South East Queensland (SEQ) is motivated by passion, knowledge and skills and is built out of respect and recognition of the environmental significance of the region’s distinctive habitats - wildlife and flora, terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats. This type of conservation not only serves to protect, maintain and improve ecosystem health and resilience, but to also create social connection, promote health and wellbeing, strengthen cultural values and contribute to the character of our region.

Background

Successful environmental stewardship is driven by community management and actions to protect biodiversity and conserve our natural resources. In SEQ, local, state and federal government, non-profit organisations, industry groups, First Nations partners, natural resource management groups, community conservation groups and private landholders work together to improve environmental outcomes.

The dedication of volunteers is reflected in their contributions of time, resources and expertise to plan and implement projects that benefit both ecosystems and society. Volunteerism plays a significant role in environmental stewardship - in Queensland, 64% of residents volunteered in 2023, representing 2.8 million people contributing approximately 719.8 million volunteer hours valued, at $117.8 billion to the community (Volunteering Queensland, 2024).

Community conservation values

• Supports conservation and restoration of beautiful SEQ environments.
• Community engagement and socialising.
• Promotes activity, health and wellbeing.
• Council opportunity to celebrate and support volunteers and promote environmental outcomes.
• Environmental education and awareness building.

Community conservation for everyone

The beauty of community conservation is in the diverse ways in which it is practiced. There are innumerable kinds of environmental volunteerism including environmental awareness programs, on-ground rehabilitation and revegetation, debris collection, citizen science and more. Some stakeholders participate in regular volunteer engagement, while for many it is an occasional, but meaningful contribution. This might be participating in a tree planting day or a community cleanup day. In fact, 44.4% of Queensland resident volunteers participate in informal volunteerism without organisational support, with 31.5% volunteering in formal settings and organisations such as non-profits as well as 21.1% engaging in both formal and informal volunteering (Volunteering Queensland, 2024).

This regional story celebrates joint and individual volunteerism from individual actions including through the Land for Wildlife program and Bushcare community groups.

How can you get involved?

The need to green our landscape

Queensland’s wild spaces need our support. In South East Queensland (SEQ), 97% of the remnant vegetation in the SEQ bioregion is considered of either State or Regional significance (Queensland Government, 2017).

SEQ is home to a variety of diverse wildlife, plant communities and marine and aquatic systems. However, it is also Queensland’s largest and fastest-growing region with an estimated population of around six million people expected to live in the area by 2046 (Queensland Government, 2023).

Meanwhile, as the impacts of climate change become more evident, the need to restore, maintain and protect our ecosystems continues to grow. The role of community stewardship becomes increasingly more important to the preservation of our biodiverse region and natural environment.

Become a green champion in your local area

Pull on a pair of gardening gloves, grab your binoculars or a snorkel and join an environmental volunteering opportunity in your local area or venture out further afield - whether it's bushland, beach, or coastline.

Don’t want to get your hands dirty? Volunteer to support public environmental education or awareness program instead.

Volunteers of all kinds are welcome - whether you can dedicate just a few hours or contribute a little each day. You can also show your support by sharing a cause you care about on social media or encouraging friends and family to recycle and compost. Every little bit makes a difference for the environment.

Search for activities in an area of interest to you to stay informed about upcoming events, workshops, and volunteer opportunities.

We are adding more case studies here in the next few days - stay tuned!

Read more regional stories - or send us yours!

Ahead of the release of the inaugural stewardship report for the region, if you would like to read a bit about the some great regional action underway, we will be publishing stories here as we receive them Contact us if you would like to send us one of yours!