New research shows grazing management at farm dams improves bird biodiversity
Research by Sustainable Farms demonstrates how managing farm dams through grazing control and revegetation significantly boosts bird biodiversity.
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Technological innovation in ecological monitoring
New research on technological advancements in ecological monitoring, led by Dr Jessie Buettel at the Australian National University.
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New research highlights benefits of enhancing farm dams for frogs
New scientific research on enhancing farm dams for frogs, led by Dr Michelle Littlefair at the Australian National University.
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2025 calendar available now!
The 2025 Sustainable Farms calendar features the flora and fauna of the Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands!
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Sustainable Farms 2018-2023: Achievements & Outcomes
An independent evaluation of Sustainable Farms highlights the significant achievements and contributions of the initiative over the past six years.
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POLICY BRIEF: Supporting Farmer Mental Health and Environmental Sustainability in Agriculture
Research from the Sustainable Farms initiative highlights both the importance and complexity of farmers engaging in natural resource management (NRM) practices on their mental health.
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POLICY BRIEF: Public and Private Benefits of Improving Natural Assets in Farming Landscapes
Improving natural assets on farms delivers valuable public benefits, such as biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and enhanced ecosystem health. However, the private benefits of improving natural assets on farms, such as improved productivity and ecosystem services, are unevenly distributed.
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PhD Opportunity: Cultural burning
The ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society are seeking a PhD student to work on a new cross-cultural project focused on supporting the re-emergence of cultural burning in south-eastern Australia.
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New research publication on the benefits of enhancing farm dams
A new scientific research article on farm dams has been published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment.
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2024 calendar available now!
Our 2024 Sustainable Farms calendar features stunning images of the remarkable biodiversity that can be found at farm farms. It also highlights the important role that these critters play in these special ecosystems and the benefits for sustainable agricultural production.
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The future of farming and biodiversity in agricultural landscapes
Shared values presenting collaborative opportunities for the Muttama Creek Catchment Area.
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Sustainable Farms wins NSW Sustainability Award
The Sustainable Farms team from The Australian National University has been named the Biodiversity Award Winner for the NSW Sustainability Awards 2022.
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2023 calendar available now!
Our 2023 Sustainable Farms calendar features stunning images of the woodland flora and fauna that is found on farms.
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Bird protection tool nets Sustainable Farms a Eureka Prize
The Sustainable Farms team from The Australian National University has taken out one of the country’s top science prizes for our work on a powerful tool that helps farmers predict how what they do on their farms could impact different bird species.
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Bombay Field Day on the benefits of biodiversity on farms
Corben Hart and Erin Brinkley from Upper Shoalhaven Landcare Council wrote this article about a recent field day held in collaboration with Sustainable Farms.
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Bird prediction tool takes flight in national science prizes
The Sustainable Farms team, creators of a powerful tool that helps farmers identify management actions that could support threatened birds on their properties, is in the running for Australia’s top science prize, the Eureka Prize.
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Collaborative research finds fencing farm dams halves methane emissions
Studies undertaken by Deakin’s Blue Carbon Lab on Sustainable Farms farm dam sites in north east Victoria and NSW reveal that dam enhancement leads to reduced greenhouse gas emissions
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Farmer-facing webtool receives National Trust Heritage Commendation
BirdCast, a webtool created by the Sustainable Farms project enabling land managers to estimate the birds present in woodlands on their farms and thus helping protect Australia’s precious biodiversity, has received a Highly Commended in the 2022 National Trust Heritage Awards.
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New research highlights wellbeing impacts of natural asset management
A new publication arising from Sustainable Farms mental health research demonstrates the potential positive benefits to farmers’ lives of engaging in natural resource management (NRM) practices.
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Making Australian Agriculture Sustainable – conference
Michelle Young, Director of Sustainable Farms, will make the case for protecting and restoring natural assets on farms at the Fenner Conference on Environment – Making Australian Agriculture Sustainable – next week in Canberra.
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Newly published: Natural Asset Farming
We’re delighted to announce the publication of our new book, Natural Asset Farming. The book provides practical guidance on enhancing seven natural assets on farms, bringing together the stories and experiences of farmers with the results of extensive on-farm research undertaken by Sustainable Farms.
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BirdCast webtool launches
New webtool enables land managers to estimate the birds present in woodlands on farms.
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2022 calendar out now!
Our 2022 Sustainable Farms calendar features stunning images of woodland landscapes and wildlife. The calendar also provides insights from our research on the management of natural assets on farms.
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Benefit-cost analysis lends support for improved farm dam management
New Sustainable Farms research looking at the potential net benefits from enhancing farm dams has yielded promising results.
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New planting guide for enhancing farm dams
Sustainable Farms is delighted to launch the new resource, Enhancing farm dams: What to plant in and around your dam.
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The Bird Checker app: estimate bird occupancy on farms
Ever wondered which birds might live on your farm? The Sustainable Farms webtool, Bird Checker: A bird occupancy estimator, enables the user to estimate which birds are likely to be found on a farm in the box-gum grassy woodlands.
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Sustainable Farms Research Results Workshops
In May-June, Sustainable Farms will hold three Research Results Workshops across the project area. Researchers from ecology, mental health and economics will share latest research results to help support practice change on farms in the temperate eucalypt woodlands.
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2021 calendar – hot off the press!
Each year we create a calendar highlighting nature on farms. For this year’s calendar we asked farmers in our project area to share a photo and story about their favourite tree.
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Sustainable farm financing: discussion summary
In an era of climatic uncertainty and increasing droughts, farm improvement projects that restore degraded land, enhance natural assets and improve drought resilience are becoming ever more important. However, sustainable funding of these projects presents a challenge that requires novel solutions.
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Passing the baton in the ecology team
This week our senior field ecologist, Dr Mason Crane (pictured above checking a nest box), leaves us to join the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, marking the end of an era and passing the baton to a new team of field staff for Sustainable Farms.
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Ten ways to improve the natural assets on a farm
Sustainable Farms is delighted to launch our new booklet, Ten ways to improve the natural assets on a farm. The booklet highlights ten discrete projects that farmers can undertake to improve the health of natural assets – such as dams, shelterbelts or riparian areas – on their properties.
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Towards healthy farms, healthy farmers and healthy profits
One small change on a farm could create new habitat for native animals and lead to increased stock productivity. That’s the message of a new publication launched this week by The Australian National University’s Sustainable Farms project.
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Farmers favourite tree challenge
Is there a big tree on your property that’s special to you? If so, we’d love you to participate in our “farmer’s favourite tree challenge 2021”.
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Investing in healthy farms for the future
Research by Professors Bruce Chapman and David Lindenmayer, Research Directors of Sustainable Farms at The Australian National University, has identified a new way of financing farm improvement investments that minimises the financial risk and accompanying stress that often comes with the use of traditional bank loans.
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Now is the time to invest in natural assets for drought resilience
The Morrison Government’s new drought policy announced last week is big news in agricultural circles and has sparked debate about the best way to support farmers through what many are describing as the toughest drought they’ve encountered.
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ANU Sustainable Farms funded to measure the benefits of improving farm dams
Sustainable Farms have been given $5.93 million in Australian Government funding to measure the benefits of improving farm dams. For the first time, researchers will be able to quantify the gains made in biodiversity, productivity and wellbeing when farmers improve their dams. Professor David Lindenmayer said, “You’d be hard pressed to find a better investment for a farm than making small improvements to their dams.”
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Sustainable farming in the face of climate change
Professor David Lindenmayer has had a busy month…
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Generous gift of land for Sustainable Farms
Kent Keith recently made a gift of land to help improve farming communities.
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Another first for Sustainable Farms long-term monitoring
The Greater Murray Biodiversity Monitoring Program has been running for more than a decade, and it is always exciting when new native species are found. During this winter’s bird surveys, one of our Sustainable Farms ecologists was thrilled to discover the threatened Southern Bell Frog, also known as the Growling Grass Frog, while randomly checking under […]
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Winter Bird Surveys 2018
Our team of field ecologists has been conducting regular wildlife surveys at the same sites in the woodland ecosystems west and northwest of Canberra for nearly 20 years.
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Researchers collaborate to help Australian farmers
Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) will play an important role in a five-year initiative that aims to improve environmental, economic and social outcomes in rural Australia by helping farmers better manage their natural assets.
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