The success of Sustainable Farms relies on partnerships. While we can turn 20 years of ecological research into information and tools that can be used by farmers to improve management of natural assets on their farms, it cannot be done alone.
Our partners are selected for their shared values and mutual objectives to support healthy farms, healthy farmers and healthy profits.
Research Farms
Our longest partnerships stand with the many farmers who have generously provided access to their properties over the last 20 years to undertake wildlife surveys. These farmers have supported the collection of biodiversity data from over 1000 sites in the Box Gum Grassy Woodlands and more broadly in the South West Slopes of NSW. We thank the landowners who have generously provided access to their properties, enabling research work through the ANU Long Term Ecology project. With this support Professor David Lindenmayer and his team have collected one of the longest time series data on biodiversity.
This data provides invaluable information for farmers and other land managers who need to make decisions to maintain and improve biodiversity in production landscapes.
Farmers sharing their experience and success
Sustainable Farms relies on our partners within the farming community - farmers interested in promoting conservation, who can demonstrate specific natural asset management techniques to other land managers.
A number of farmers are now working with Sustainable Farms to demonstrate the benefits of investing in natural assets for biodiversity and productivity on their farm. This includes farmers from the ANU long term monitoring studies and new relationships with farmers who have examples of natural asset management on their farms.
These farmers speak from their experiences. We hope that their positive messages will encourage other farmers to adopt new practices.
Working with NRM Agencies, Landcare, Conservation and Community Groups
Partnerships with NRM agencies and other groups are central to the success of Sustainable Farms. Riverina Local Land Services, Murray Local Land Services and Holbrook Landcare all made important contributions to the planning and establishment of the project. The ANU field team also works alongside or in partnership with NSW Local Land Services and Victorian Catchment Management Authorities within the project area. Over the last 15 years this has included partnerships to monitor the investments on farms made by our partners, along with dozens of jointly run workshops and field events to deliver information and advice to local landholders, and the broader community.
The field team also provides training to NRM agencies as required. Recent examples include correct installation and monitoring of nest boxes, installation and operation of motion-sensor monitoring cameras, plant identification and shelterbelt design. We are also grateful to the Local Land Services who have already shown a commitment to our pilot field days with guest speakers, promotion and resource support.
Together under Sustainable Farms we will continue to strengthen our NRM partnerships to achieve shared objectives.
Sustainable Farms is interested in running field days and planning workshops in partnership with Landcare and other NRM groups. We'd like to thank Holbrook Landcare Network and Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc. for their assistance at recent field days at Illabo, Junee and Bowna.
If you are a NRM group and you are interested in organizing a field day in your locality, or if you are a farmer with a good example of natural asset management on your property, please contact us at sustainablefarms@anu.edu.au
