Grass roots and green tape

de Anna Carr

The ecological alarm has sounded, and rural community groups world-wide have responded with determination and creativity to local environmental crises. Once grass roots and peripheral, these voluntary organisations are becoming increasingly central to sustaining our environment. Governments are increasingly adopting policies that devolve their economic and environmental responsibilities, placing pressure on environmental stewardship groups to assume responsibility for their local environment. Grass Roots and Green Tape investigates community-based environmental stewardship, exploring the dynamics within these groups, and how these groups interact with government. Dr Carr presents the experiences of three Australian stewardship groups, each in different localities, environmental issues, people and management styles. These are framed by international examples from developed nations, and analysis of trends around the world. Dr Carr focuses on the point of contact between stewardship groups and government agencies with the aim of enhancing the relationship between bottom-up and top-down stewardship/management styles. She identifies the principles and conditions under which groups can actively contribute.