Enhancing Farm Biodiversity Project Concept - Landholder Feedback Survey

Are you interested in a project that adds diversity to your remnant bush, and /or planting native shelter belts and corridors on your farm? Let us know...

Enhancing remnant bush on farms offers a variety of environmental & production benefits to a farm, including soil erosion control, improved water cycling, providing habitat for native wildlife & pollinators, and supporting natural pest control.

The understory is where it all happens on the biodiversity front - however this element is often degraded or missing altogether in many of our remnant vegetation areas. Adding to the understory with appropriate plantings will greatly enhance your farms overall biodiversity value, as will planting native trees for shelter belts, and connecting patches of remnant bush via native corridors.

We know these are all excellent reasons to add more native flora to your farm but we also know there are many barriers to actually doing it. We think we can help to reduce or remove those barriers and are planning to make a submission to the current round of State NRM Funding for an Enhancing Farm Biodiversity Project, partnering with Nature Conservation to deliver the project across the entire Shire of Augusta Margaret River and the Scott River Catchment.

Broadly it is proposed that the project will enable land managers to enhance farm biodiversity through:

• Enhancing the biodiversity of existing remnant bush on farms through native understory planting & stock exclusion fencing, and

• Improving remnant bush connectivity through the establishment &/or enhancement of native corridors and shelterbelts

This will be achieved through a series of workshops, extension, and on ground activities. This is a substantial project BUT before we go too far down the road we want to gauge YOUR interest and check if the project concept is on target. You can help us do this by completing this simple survey (it's short and sweet - should take less than 1 minute so please do!).

1.Are you a rural property landholder?(Required.)

Yes

2.Do you live in the Lower Blackwood catchment area or the wider Augusta Margaret Shire?(Required.)

3.What is your locality (e.g. Karridale)?(Required.)

4.I would potentially be interested in participating in this Project(Required.)

Yes

5.If your answer to the above question was yes which of the below project components would you be interested in participating? (Please tick as many as appropriate)(Required.)

Attending a workshop on 'Designing Your Farm Biodiversity Enhancement Plan' - will assist land managers to develop a farm plan for enhancing / protecting/ managing remnant bushland, shelter belts and native corridors, including enhancing connectivity between them on farm properties.

Designing your own Farm Biodiversity Enhancement Plan Workshop participation (with 4 hours of plan mentoring from the LBLCDC or NMCR to aid land managers in plan finalisation).

Attending a workshop on 'Practical Steps to Revegetation Success – Remnant Bush, Shelter Belts & Native Corridors' - will explore the practicalities of revegetation for enhancing farm biodiversity (considerations/species/site prep/weed control/planting/site maintenance/challenges)

Attending a workshop on 'Regenerating Country - Partnering with Nature for a Productive Balance' - will introduce land managers to the Wadandi-Pibulman peoples’ valuable Traditional Ecological Knowledge, providing participants with an introduction to understanding Wadandi Boodja (country) including:
• the cultural connection of landscape people, plants, animals, water, soils and landforms.
• the seasonal calendar & your farm ecosystem

Attending a workshop on ' Enhancing Farm Biodiversity - managing ferals for successful long term biodiversity outcomes' - will be presented by a panel of experts and cover: ferals in our landscapes, what do they threaten, what supported control options there are, what land managers can do themselves, monitoring for management, and feral animal fencing.

On Site Farm Biodiversity (Flora) Assessments conducted by the LBLCDC or NMCR (determined by location)

Remnant bush enhancement &/or native shelter belt, & or native corridor on-ground revegetation projects available to participating land managers on a co contribution basis.

Site preparation contractor weed control available to participating land managers on a co contribution basis.

Site stock exclusion fencing available to participating land managers on a co contribution basis

Any comments?

6.Would you be prepared to pay a subsidised fee for an onsite biodiversity (flora) assessment (includes visit to site, mapping, data collection & a report) to assist with your planning?(Required.)

Yes

Maybe

If yes please indicate what you would deem a reasonable fee for this service.

7.Would you be prepared to pay a subsidised fee for 4 hours of Biodiversity Enhancement Plan mentoring with the LBLCDC?(Required.)

Yes

Maybe

If yes please indicate what you would deem a reasonable fee for this service.

8.If you have any other comments or suggestions regarding this project proposal please add them below.

Many thanks for completing the survey, your feedback will help us finalise our project design.
The Lower Blackwood LCDC