At our February meeting, Jerry Moles discussed the founding of Grayson LandCare and its international partners around the world.
What is LandCare?
LandCare is a democratic approach to community development with three goals, (1) increase the incomes of the citizens, (2) improve community services and amenities, and (3) protect the resources upon which our lives depend, our food, water, and air. This is about making sure that our great, great grandchildren have the same quality of food, water, and air as we do while we remain secure with an acceptable lifestyle.
There is also an ethic of civility that requires that we be open and honest in our dealings with each other, willing to listen to other points of view, and, when in doubt, seek expert counsel to guide our decisions. We wish to be as well informed as possible. We wish to understand the cause and consequences of the events in our daily lives. This requires that we listen to others or else we will remain ill-informed. In the end though, we decide and it is up to each one of us to live with our consciences knowing that we have done the best possible for all concerned.
- LandCare is about feeling good about what we do and where we live. Knowing we can count on our neighbors is a tremendous advantage.
- LandCare is an ethic that everyone looks after everyone else.
- LandCare focuses on ventures involving both local people and local resources.
- LandCare is about building community wealth by establishing locally owned and managed enterprises.
- LandCare is about local economic cooperation. LandCare is about investment in local enterprises both by locals and by others outside the region aware of the value of our enterprises.
- LandCare is about bringing out the best in each of us. The best can only appear if we’re willing to pause and consider the consequences of our actions, attend to what others are saying, carefully consider our direction, and be responsible for our actions. In a community, people listen to each other or else there is no community.
- LandCare is rooted in the belief that ultimately each community must decide what is best for itself. Experience in Australia over the past 20 years has shown that, with the involvement of the people, communities can better serve themselves.
The magic of LandCare is no magic at all. What has made the difference is that when people sit down with enough time to fully weigh their alternatives, community solutions can be found that benefit everyone.