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Natural assets on the farm

Natural assets on farms include remnant native vegetation, large old trees like paddock trees, native grasses, shelterbelts, rocky outcrops, creeks, dams and much more. Healthy natural assets support biodiversity, which in turn helps underpin the ecological systems that support agriculture.

For more than 20 years, Sustainable Farms and our predecessors have been studying farms in the sheep-wheat belt of south-eastern Australia to understand more about how various management actions impact biodiversity and natural assets on farms. This research has been made possible by the incredible work of land managers who have been innovative, proactive and forward thinking in how they’ve managed natural assets on their farms.

Join us to explore on-farm natural assets, and find out what you can do to enhance and protect them.

Compilation of images of wildlife, natural assets and stock

Projects to improve natural assets on the farm

The following pages outline different ways in which you can improve natural assets on your farm. You might choose to undertake a specific, individual project like fencing a paddock tree, or planting a shelterbelt. Or, by looking at the mix of natural assets on your farm, consider how these assets work together and how they can be integrated into farm planning for multiple benefits.

Establish shelterbelts

Shelterbelts provide shade and wind protection for livestock, mitigate erosion and slow wind speeds. They also support many species of animals, helping conserve wildlife and contributing to natural pest control on a farm.

Enhance farm dams

Dams are essential for many farming operations, including for livestock and irrigation. Enhancing a farm dam can lead to improvements in water quality and provide habitat for a wide variety of native wildlife.

Support biodiversity

Biodiversity is vital to the functioning of any farming ecosystem. From natural pest control to water filtration, biodiversity provides many key ecosystem services. Enhancing natural assets can help improve biodiversity on the farm.

Enhance rocky outcrops

Healthy rocky outcrops can boost farm biodiversity, productivity and soil health. Managing rocky outcrops generally requires little ongoing effort or cost.

Riparian restoration

Vegetation corridors along streams and rivers, known as riparian areas, hold enormous value for farming operations and are important assets for production and biodiversity, as well as carbon storage.

Protect and restore paddock trees

Scattered paddock trees are vital for agricultural productivity and for the conservation of wildlife. Many of these trees are being lost due to old age, stress and fire, but there are ways to protect and restore paddock trees.

Protect remnant vegetation

South-eastern Australia was once home to nearly continuous temperate woodlands. Remnant vegetation patches are fundamental to biodiversity and underpin landscape resilience, and farmers have many opportunities to protect and enhance them.

Diagram showing the relationship between natural capital and natural assets

Taking science to the paddock

Our information on natural assets on farm is underpinned by extensive research in ecology, mental health, economics and social sciences.

Click here to find out about our research