The Manningham-Nillumbik Green Map has been launched as a website that is slowly evolving as it gathers eco-cultural information about the shires of Nillumbik and Manningham in North-east Melbourne, Australia. Progress is a little slow as we are all volunteers.

We see this project as having two parts - the website and a community engagement process. The website is live and on Wednesday evening 28 May 2008 we are running our first 2020 Community Conversation.

1. About the Community Conversation
There are lots of people, businessowners, volunteers, council officers and MPs working hard for both the community and the environment BUT we all know some efforts are duplicated.

On the 28th we want to get together as many representatives of all facets of the community as possible, on an equal footing, to work out what we value in Manningham-Nillumbik, are there any issues that stand out and what we might do about these, with a view to keeping people informed by publishing info on the Green Map website.

The evening will be run by Deirdre Downie of Insight Now, a facilitator experienced in using the World Cafe Process, which is "an innovative way to access the collective wisdom of a group and bring about new possibilities for action". See www.theworldcafe.com.

2. The Green Map website aims to record the life we enjoy today in the hope of preserving the lifestyle for our children and grandchildren...about balancing 'people/planet/profit. 12 Categories will provide information about:

-Art, Culture, History and Lifestyle
-Built Environment and Infrastructure
-Eco-development and Green Business
-Events
-Food
-National/State Parks, Reserves and Gardens
-Information and Institutions
-Nature and Wildlife
-Outdoors and Active
-Pollution
-Transport
-Waste prevention, Re-use and Recycling

The website has an umbrella name www.greenmapcommunity.org.au. We hope that in future other Neighbourhood Houses or community groups will join us in the Green Map process, listing their community's eco-cultural assets as a tool for sustainable development.

For more information you can email Gail info@greenmapcommunity.org.au.