Australian Landscape Trust (ALT) was established by The Ian Potter Foundation in 1996. It has its origin in the Potter Farmland Plan – a plan that engaged families in rethinking the use and management of their farms for long-term prosperity.
ALT extends that approach from the scale of individual families and farms to the level of communities and landscapes. It addresses multiple land-uses and land tenures – sharing skills and knowledge across public and private lands, and bringing together production and conservation goals.
The McCormick Centre for the Environment is a physical example of what this approach can achieve. This $2 million dollar gift to the community was facilitated by the Australian Landscape Trust (ALT) and the Chicago Zoological Society. A $1 million donation from American philanthropist Brooks McCormick funded the construction of the Centre and was added to by the Natural Heritage Trust, the River Murray Catchment Water Management Board, Commonwealth Tourism infrastructure programs, the Greenhouse Office, the Forest Park Foundation from the United States and Pratt Water. The Centre was built on land donated by the South Australian Education Department, with the Renmark Paringa Council supporting re-development of the site. It provides a multi-purpose facility that serves a range of activities including tourism, education and recreation as well as providing a venue for community interest groups and public functions.