Landscapes for the Future

What is it?

Landscapes for the Future Limited began as an initiative of the Woady Yaloak Catchment Project. The company promotes the use of geographic information system (GIS) technology as a tool to assist with Landcare project management.

The Woady Yaloak Catchment Project's involvement with GIS began in 1995, via a Ballarat University project conducted with the Pittong-Hoyles Creek Landcare Group. At the time several geographic information systems were in operation, but they tended to focus at the catchment scale. In contrast the WYC Group's use of the GIS focussed on individual landholders and then used this information to build to a catchment perspective, in a 'bottom up' approach to planning.

Landholders were very impressed with the concept, but wanted a more interactive, user friendly and low cost system. It was at this point that Ballarat computer software developer Osprey Computing became involved.

Over a three year period, the WYC Project in partnership with Alcoa of Australia, the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and Osprey Computing worked together to pioneer a Landcare specific software package called Streets Ahead™.

Streets Ahead has become a very important tool for project management in the Woady Yaloak Catchment.

With the success of the software in the Woady Yaloak Catchment, it became obvious that it had application in the broader Landcare community. This prompted the creation of a not-for-profit company, Landscapes for the Future Limited, in 2002. The purpose of Landscapes for the Future was to share the ideas, experiences and expertise of the WYC with other Landcare Networks.

For more information on the history of Landscapes for the Future refer to the Woady Yaloak Catchment Project Annual Report for 2002, pages 17-20.