Catawba Landcare is about neighbors working together to enhance the quality of our valley — the land, our community, and economy.
About Catawba Landcare
Catawba Landcare was formed in 2005 with the goal of providing educational opportunities and building cooperation among residents of the Catawba Valley to ensure a healthy environment, to strengthen the sense of community, and to increase economic opportunities in the valley. A group of neighbors organized into a steering committee to plan events and workshops for the entire community (and beyond), specifically about land management options and opportunities. All of the events planned by Catawba Landcare open to everyone and most of them are free. The steering committee is always looking for new people and ideas, so please get involved by contacting one of the current members!
History
The idea of “Landcare” as an approach to sustainable land management and economic development actually started in Australia in the mid-1980s. In 2005, people from the US including from Virginia Tech went to Australia to learn more about it and when they came back, they shared what they learned with people in the region. A few landowners in the Catawba Valley heard about it and thought it sounded like something that could work in the valley. It wasn’t just about conservation or about the environment, it was about caring for the land and for the community. Catawba Landcare was born!
Who is Involved
Catawba Landcare is an open organization. There is no official “membership”. It is really just neighbors working together to care for the valley. There is a steering committee that is made up of volunteers from the community who organize events and projects. See who is on the steering committee right now! If you want to get involved in organizing an event or if you have ideas for a project, contact one of these people and they will get you going! To learn more about upcoming events and projects, see the calendar of events.
How to Get Involved
There are several ways you can get involved with Catawba Landcare:
- Attend workshops and events to learn more about caring for your land and to be part of the discussion
- Volunteer at a work day to help your neighbors care for the valley
- Join the steering committee to help plan and organize events
- Sign-up for the email list to receive updates about opportunities and events in the valley
- Support our local farmers and artists at the Catawba Farmers Market during the season
Learn more
- To learn about the logo for Catawba Landcare, click here
- To learn more about landcare and how we are part of an international movement, click here
- To learn more about Catawba Landcare in the news, click here
