Cross Property Planning to Balance Production and Conservation

A key part of the Cross Property Planning project is the many workshops and field days which are offered to land holders. Responding to the production essentials and knowledge needs in each area, the workshops draw on the expertise of a range of partners including:

• NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
• Australian National University
• University of Melbourne
• NSW Department of Primary Industries
• Riverina Local Land Services
• Invasive Animal Cooperative Research Centre
• Waratah Fencing
• NSW Rural Fire Service

Reports from some of the many workshops we have held include:

• Flora and fauna surveys
• Dung beetles
• Pasture cropping 1
• Pasture cropping 2
• Healthy farm dams
• Low-cost erosion control options
• Soil biology
• Pest control
• Waratah Fencing workshop with Neville Prince
• Rodenator
• Women on Fire
• Roadside weeds
• Nest boxes

The approach to on-ground works has been to coordinate works through the cross-property groups, to develop plans on each land holder’s property which contribute to landscape scale conservation goals.

Direct funding has been provided to land holders through the project to support on-ground works including:

• Planting tree corridors and other areas of native vegetation
• Protecting existing areas of native vegetation, or paddock trees, through fencing to control stock access and additional plantings
• Participation in area-wide pest management programs, such as fox baiting
• Restricting stock access to dams or natural waterways
• Undertaking weed management.

The coverage of the CPP on-ground works is shown in the Project Map. Stories from some of the land holder’s involved in the project, discussing the work they have done, and their long-term NRM goals are included below.

Humula-Tarcutta CPP Group:

• Len Ellis, Humula – “Pasture cropping boosts feed at Humula”

• Peter McCallum, Tarcutta – “Dealing with erosion at ‘Waddon’ “

• Peter Reeckman, Humula – “You’ve got to have trees!”

• Bob Schofield, Oberne – “Addressing gully erosion at ‘Clearview’ “

• Lawrie and Nic Sykes, Humula – “You just need to be sustainable”

• David Tooke, Humula – “I was completely astounded by the volume of water”

Junee-Illabo-Bethungra CPP Group:

• Skye Bellamy, Downside – “Dedication to Landcare on ‘Coombiana'”

• Skye Bellamy, Downside – “Wildlife corridors and shelterbelts”

• Max Chamberlain, Downside – “Landcare: A farmer’s experience”

• Peter and Kellie Crawford, Wantabadgery – “Good encouragement to get more trees in!”

• Pat and Marion Drew, Bethungra – “NRM is a part of farming”

• Peter, Sandra, Anthony and Rhonda Heffernan, Wantiool – “Planning paves the way”

• Toby Jones, Eurongilly – “Trees to target weed spread”

• Tracey and Bruce MacLeod, Wantabadgery – “Trial and error results in habitat continuity”

• Stuart Meiklejohn, Downside – “Replacing what has been lost”

• Bill and Maria Muller, Bethungra – “Building biodiversity, knowledge and partnerships”

• Fiona and Daniel Rankin, Bethungra – “Planning for the future”

Kyeamba CPP Group:

• Andrew and Robert Dunn, Book Book – “Protecting and enhancing remnant native vegetation”

• Sue Dunn, Book Book – “Taking a holistic approach to NRM in the Kyeamba Valley”

• Steve and Sarah Palmer, Book Book – “Tree planting proves fruitful at ‘Kyeamba Downs'”

• Steve and Sarah Palmer, Book Book – “Learning from – and working with – our neighbours”

• Trevor Parker, Book Book – “Protecting groundcover at ‘Book Book'”

Land holder and Flora & Fauna Surveys

Land holder Surveys

In mid-2013, thirty-five land holders involved in the CPP Project were surveyed to gain a greater understanding of their expectations, goals, practices and knowledge in relation to the management of native vegetation on their properties.

The results from these surveys are being used to assist Murrumbidgee Landcare to deliver more effective extension strategies, better address the needs of local land holders, and work more effectively with land holders to protect and restore our native vegetation.

A copy of the results of the initial survey is available here.

In late 2015, a follow-up survey was conducted, to learn more about land holder’s perceptions of native vegetation and biodiversity, how they value these, and what works they have undertaken in an effort to protect or enhance native vegetation on their properties.

A summary of the results from the follow-up survey is available here.

Flora and Fauna Surveys

In spring 2013, 30 flora and fauna surveys were conducted across 24 farms of land holder’s involved in the CPP project. Dr Fiona Christie (University of Melbourne) was engaged to undertake formal bird surveys, while Alison Elvin (Natural Capital) was engaged to complete the flora surveys.

• To provide a snapshot of species diversity ‘on farm’ throughout the region;
• To provide farmers involved in the project with information about the species found on their site, and the implications that may have for their ongoing management of that site;
• To encourage farmers to continue to participate in conserving biodiversity on their farm, and across the broader landscape, whilst not impacting on the productivity of their farm;
• To provide baseline flora and fauna information to the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) database, adding to the data available for scientific analysis; and
• To help guide Murrumbidgee Landcare’s future connectivity programs.

A copy of the full report is available here.

In addition, you can access a copy of the Conclusions and Recommendations from the report, and a list of the Species Recorded during the surveys.

Contacts

Many stakeholders from external organisations have been involved with the Cross Property Planning project, providing a wealth of knowledge and experience in a range of specialist fields.

The table below includes details of each person’s involvement with the project, along with contact details in case you would like further information, or to request their involvement in your own projects.

If you would like to talk to us directly about the CPP project, contact Nicole Maher: nmaher@mli.org.au, or 0438 452 814.

External stakeholders involved with the CPP project