Landcare Agony Aunt – Heated in the Hunter

 Dear Agony Aunt,

I’d like to start a Landcare group but I’m worried about what to do if people don’t get on. I want to make a difference for my local environment but I don’t want any more stress in my life.

from Heated in the Hunter

Dear Reader, 

I think it’s a really positive sign that you have asked this question and are mentally and emotionally preparing yourself for what could lie ahead on your Landcare leadership journey.  Knowing there will be ups and downs to weather can help prime you for resilience.

As you are no doubt aware, Landcare can be a wonderful way of caring for local environments as a community group or band of neighbours sharing the load.  Working together we can bring better outcomes for our private properties and public reserves, whilst developing friendships and fostering solidarity. 

When you become part of Landcare and feel you have found your tribe, it can be disheartening when group relationships start to fray.  Let’s start with things folks in organisational roles can do to pre-empt many conflicts arising.

1) It’s good to have clear protocols accessible to potential new members on your group’s goals and how you work, so they can decide if the group is for them or not right from the beginning.

2) Have a plan for how conflicts will be managed and make it part of your constitution or group code. 

3) Know what working well in groups looks like.  Here is a check-list: 

• Clear, concise, transparent, inclusive, regular communication with all group members.  Ask people how much communication they need.
• Clear roles and responsibilities in the group.  Make sure people know they can reach out if they are over-burdened and seek solutions from the group.
• 2-way dialogue on issues and decisions.
• Honesty – e.g. apologise if you make an error, explain how you are feeling (without blame), be human.
• Agreed systems for resources that are shared, e.g. tool cleaning routines, return of equipment, using shared funds to pay bills.
• Trust.  This is built on following through on what you say you will do.
• Look out for and offer training and resources for group members so they have the skills they need to do their role confidently.
• Awareness of diversity.  Consider the needs of people with different cultural backgrounds, communication styles, mental health needs or language barriers and do your best to find out about and accommodate their needs.
• Acknowledge contributions – tailor these to how individuals prefer to be acknowledged (whether public or private acknowledgement).
• Celebrate group achievements together. Include some social activities where people can relax and get to know each other.  This could be as simple as making time for morning tea break and having dinner together once or twice per year.

With the best intentions and practices in place, small or large conflicts may still arise over a range of issues.  Differences of opinion are to be expected and are not a problem in themselves.  How people treat each other during a conflict is the aspect that can damage your group and the wellbeing of members.  

The golden rule for conflict management is to identify and address it as early as possible before things escalate or unhealthy patterns of communication develop.  Therefore take the pulse of your group regularly. Check in if there are any issues people are concerned about. You need to have a safe, impartial channel where people can raise concerns without feeling threatened. 

Your group’s constitution should describe how conflicts and complaints between members will be addressed so everyone understands the processes for managing different levels of conflicts.

There are rewards to sorting out conflicts.  It can help us learn to understand each other better, develop communication skills and even lead to better outcomes in the work of your group and its cohesion.  However, they need to be managed effectively, with as much calm and self-awareness as you can muster.

Most conflicts can be resolved with good communication. Whether you are acting in a mediator role between two members of your group, or finding yourself in conflict with someone in the group, this strategy can be applied.  Find the common goal or value the two parties in conflict share and provide the opportunity for each side to be heard and understood.

Many conflicts arise from misunderstandings.  Clarify exactly what people are trying to say by repeating it back to them and checking you got it correct, before moving on to solutions. Allow time for this important phase of being heard and understood. Sometimes, it is all that is needed for people to relax and move forwards.

A little empathy can go a long way. You don’t have to agree with what someone says to listen and acknowledge their point of view.  Being truly heard has a powerful effect on a person.  It can calm tension and create connection.  Whilst this could sound challenging in practice, some simple approaches from Non-Violent Communication can be helpful.

When the other person is talking, try to listen attentively not just to their words but to what they are feeling. Notice triggers in yourself and name them in your head, but put them aside whilst you listen. 

Giving your attention can be a big ask, especially if resentment has built up.  If you are reluctant to give the person your full attention remember you have a common goal with your Landcare work.  If you can work this out you could achieve good outcomes for the environment. Remember to reflect back what their experience is to check you have understood correctly. e.g. “So you’re feeling angry because you need things to be efficient. Is that right?”

When it’s your turn to speak, say what you observe and feel without blaming others. Ask the other person to let you know what they heard you say to check they got the intended message. e.g. “When I organise an event and people are late I feel frustrated because I need support.”

It is not helpful for the person listening to respond with a counter-argument, teaching, preaching, judging, using one-up-man-ship or telling someone what they should be doing at this point.  Instead, next see if you can identify and name what is at the heart of the conflict. This could be the way resources are shared, how decisions are made, how things are communicated, time-management or choices about tasks.

At the very least you can thank each party for being willing to try to explain what is going on for them.

Let’s look at an example.

For the next few weeks, one person wants your group to work on planting along an eroded creek-line and another wants the team to address a new Green Cestrum infestation elsewhere. 

The arguments are getting heated and personal insults and criticisms are beginning to creep in.  Ask each person to explain what goals of the group their suggestion is meeting.  This helps take the focus away from personalities and re-focuses everyone on what is best in terms of environmental outcomes. 

Come up with a range of possible strategies that could meet all the needs raised – A, B, C. Then ask each of the two people in conflict if they have a strong aversion to adopting strategy A. Allow people to explain why or why not, after reflecting on whether it would meet their goals and be acceptable. Move through the options, refining them as needed until you have a strategy both parties can live with.

Although this could take a little time, the benefits of people understanding each other’s point of view could avoid a long-term rift in the future.

Here is another, more challenging example.  Two group members want to be effective in treating weeds so their efforts have long-lasting impact.  One person thinks the best strategy is to use chemicals, another person prefers to use no chemicals.  

The common ground is that they both have a personal need to make a contribution to biodiversity, which has brought them into this Landcare group.  The first person has provided scientific research on why chemicals are needed with this weed.  However, this has not changed the other person’s mind.  They have strong concerns about using chemicals and wish to feel safe in their actions.  

Rather than getting angry at each other for having different strategies for treating weeds, or judging someone’s preference as good or bad, focus on what is at the heart of the conflict.  It seems that one person is prioritising efficiency and one is prioritising health and safety.  Is there a strategy that could meet both parties’ needs?

Would they be willing, for example, to use chemicals in one area and not in another? Is the cut and paint method acceptable if no rain is forecast that week? Is there an alternative treatment they are both willing to trial for a few months?

If you can’t find a strategy that both can accept, is it time that they respectfully form two separate groups and work on different sites?  This is not a failure to co-operate.  It is recognising deep, intrinsic differences in priority values.  It is better that someone is able to work happily with a group of people with the same value set.

Remember it is good to have clear protocols on how your group works so new members can decide if it is for them or not at the beginning. It is also good to review your protocols. Your group may evolve and change its protocols as new information is learned. 

If conflict gets sticky, it can help to acknowledge to yourself that people are doing their best with what communication skills they have currently got, in the ways they have learned how.

Look after your mental and emotional health as a community organiser.  As the leader of the group, or committee member, remember, you are not responsible for other people’s behaviour, actions, or meeting all their needs. You can set the tone for the group, facilitate the establishment of an agreed constitution or protocols and model and uphold clear, respectful communication.  This would include the language you choose when speaking and in how you listen to others in a genuine way.  

There may be times when you think “I didn’t get into Landcare to deal with problems between people”.  Prioritise your wellbeing. If you need to step out for a while, let people know.  It’s ok if, to manage conflict well, you need some space and time to regroup or think about the situation.  This can also help people know the conflict is important to you and you want to address it fairly with the parties invovled.

Do all groups have conflicts?  In autocratic leadership styles there may not be any apparent conflicts, but people may not be working happily.  Things may seem to be getting done, but people may be cooperating out of fear, afraid to have their own voice on matters due to bullying or intimidation.  This could eventually lead to burn-out or a dwindling group. 

Effective communication skills are something you can learn or improve on throughout your life, once you realise there are alternative ways to get things done cooperatively.  It is never too late and can create better relationships on all levels. 

Diverse opinions in groups can help turn on high-level problem-solving that leads to more creative approaches, better impact, people learning from each other and learning to work with each other.  This can help keep people engaged and actively contributing their best in the group. 

If you are an incorporated association and you can’t resolve a dispute yourselves, you can refer it to a Community Justice Centre.  These provide free external mediation services.  Further information is available here: Incorporated associations: Resolving disputes | NSW Government.  In making the decision to get help, consider the level of seriousness of the dispute, the impacts it is having and also the costs of not addressing the conflict.   After mediation, the next step if the conflict still remains would be to refer the dispute to arbitration.  This would be a last resort.

Caring for the land is also about community-building because the land and water are shared resources.  As Nell Chaffey, recipient of the Landcare Australia Women in Landcare 2025 Award said in her acceptance speech this week, “Landcare is a we movement, not a me movement.” 

In building the capacity of your group to handle conflicts with good grace, you are part of a larger movement creating resilient, heartfelt communities connected to and caring for their local environments. This is such important work in these times.

If you do decide to start your group, please reach out to your Local Landcare Coordinator for help and advice with organising yourselves and planning your work.  We have got lots of resources to help you.  Within our network there is also a lot of experience to draw from that can support you in running your group.