In the Weeds

Nurturing Community through Landcare

By: Sonia Graham

Inspiring stories and practical suggestions for how to grow a thriving landcare community.

Weeds are everywhere. If you’ve ever been frustrated by weeds erupting into your garden, overgrowing your favourite reserve or popping up in your paddock, then this book is for you. Whether it’s privet or lantana, bitou bush or serrated tussock, Sonia Graham invites you to consider how we can rethink weeds from being pesky and pervasive to a problem that we can solve together. + Full description

The book presents seven stories of communities who have worked to control weeds over the past 30 years. It shares how Landcare groups have achieved positive environmental change and forged close-knit social networks to effectively respond to bushfires, floods and a pandemic.

Bringing insights garnered from social research, In the Weeds offers fascinating stories and practical suggestions for starting a local environment group or making an existing group stronger. From developing achievable goals, to shared leadership and the need for coffee and cake, this book explains step-by-step how to grow and nourish a thriving community.

"This wonderful book by Sonia Graham will find a home with all those who care about our environment and protecting natural ecosystems."
– Brett Summerell, Chief Scientist, Botanic Gardens of Sydney

- Short description

Details

Paperback | June 2026 | $ 59.99
ISBN: 9781486320103 | 288 pages | 234 x 156 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
B&W photographs, Illustrations

Features

Delves into the environmental, agricultural and social benefits of managing weeds together, sharing success stories of Landcare groups from south-east New South Wales, Australia.
Tells human stories intertwined with the histories and ecologies of weeds.
Uses insights from social research to ask what makes local environment or farming groups successful.
Provides clear suggestions on how to start or run a collaborative group.
Includes recipes that have proved popular with local Landcare groups.

Foreword
Preface

1 Introduction
2 Caring for Yuin, Wodi Wodi and Dharawal Country

Part 1 Shoalhaven
3 Growing community by caring for Brogers Creek
4 Bushcare and Landcare in Upper Kangaroo River
5 Restoring habitat in Tapitallee and Budgong
Interlude: Engaging amenity migrants
Recipe: Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Part 2 Eurobodalla
6 Deua Rivercare survives floods and fires
Interlude: Bushfires and weeds go hand in hand
Recipe: Banana Cake with Passionfruit Icing

Part 3 Bega Valley
7 Better without bitou bush: a story of Tathra Land Care
8 Coming together to clean up Candelo Creek
9 Towamba Valley Landcare: a valley-wide effort to control serrated tussock
Interlude: Beyond volunteer enthusiasts
Recipe: Nutty Cake

10 The importance of weeding together
Recipe: Cherry Ripe Slice

Acknowledgments
List of participants
Endnotes
Index

Authors

Sonia Graham is an associate professor of rural geography at the University of Wollongong. Over the last two decades her research has explored the social values and relationships that shape environmental attitudes and collective action.