Farmers Essential For Vegetation Management
AUSTRALIA - Australian farmers are playing a leading role in managing native vegetation to help boost production outcomes, according to a new report released today by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).
20 November 2012
1 minute read
The report, Native vegetation management on agricultural land, found that 85 per cent of farmers were gaining on–farm production and/or environmental benefits; with most indicating they wanted to do even more because of the benefits they were gaining.
ABARES Executive Director, Paul Morris, said the report found that many landholders are ready to engage with governments on managing native vegetation, with a number already engaged through existing programs.
“This shows that there are opportunities to build on existing programs to improve production and conservation outcomes on farmland, which is particularly important given the long term implications of native vegetation decision making,” Mr Morris said.
“The report examines the way we manage native vegetation resources on our agricultural lands, highlights some of the key challenges that our farmers face, as well as the programmes concerned with native vegetation management”.
Traditional government assistance through extension and other mechanisms is thought to continue to be important given the complexities of managing land for multiple outcomes.
ABARES also announced new opportunities to increase environmental outcomes and benefits to farmers by developing markets for environmental services from native vegetation.
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