Adaptive Farms for Sustainable Landscapes

Once you have selected which option/s are of interest, we will contact you to provide details on how to access the online learning and discuss your program.

What activities can be funded?

Farm planning

Farm planning can help to understand what drives farm profit and discover opportunities for business improvement. A series of online and face to face learning modules will be available to assist landholders to develop their individual farm plan. Topics to be covered include:

• soil
• water and vegetation resources
• cultural heritage
• land capability
• pest species.

Enhancing farm dams and landscape hydration for biodiversity

Funding and training is available for the enhancement of farm dams for biodiversity through fencing, hardened and/or alternative stock watering point (trough and pipe only) and the planting of native species. Funding is for existing dams only.  For those producers interested in landscape hydration and remediating scalded sites, options such as fencing, minor contouring and revegetation will be available to reclaim bare areas and to improve water infiltration to enhance on farm biodiversity.

Establishing shelter belts of native vegetation

Funding and training is available for the establishment of shelter belts to provide shade and shelter to livestock and habitat for native species. Shelter belts will need to be a minimum of 25 m wide and a minimum of one ha in length. A mix of locally native trees and shrubs will be planted and protected by fencing.

Establishing and protecting paddock trees

New paddock trees
Funding and training is available for the establishment of between 15 and 30 paddock trees using individual reinforced guards. These trees need to be planted randomly in paddocks to provide shade and shelter for stock, provide habitat for native species and connect existing areas of native vegetation.

Existing paddock trees
Funding and training is available for the protection of large remnant native paddock trees to help extend their lifespan. Paddock trees are to be protected by a minimum of 20 m x 20 m fencing with hand planting of understorey species.

Constructing stock management areas

Funding and training is available for construction of stock management areas to support landholders to improve drought resilience and maintain groundcover in dry times. Funding will assist landholders with the design and cost of materials (fencing, troughs and feeders) to improve grazing management outcomes.

Protecting and enhancing endangered Box Gum Grassy Woodlands

Funding and training is available to protect and enhance areas of these woodlands through fencing, cultural burning, habitat augmentation, understorey planting and weed control. This project is specific to landholders with properties in the Snowy Valleys, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Hilltops, Bland, Temora, West Wyalong, Wagga Wagga areas only.

Landholder champions

Funding and training is available to landholders to become landscape ‘champions’ to demonstrate best practice in these areas:

• paddock trees
• shelter belts
• farm dam enhancement
• stock management areas.

These landholders will be supported to showcase their projects and the lessons they have learnt.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for funding under the Adaptive Farms for Sustainable Landscapes project, the below criteria must be met:

• training, such as farm planning workshops and online learning modules, are a pre-requisite for accessing funding
• all previous works funded by Riverina Local Land Services must be completed and maintained
• you must be willing to enter into a contractual agreement with Riverina Local Land Services for 10 years
• you must have no outstanding debts to Local Land Services
• your property must be greater than 10 ha and reside within the Riverina Local Land Services region (see map)
• you must have public liability insurance for a minimum of $10 million to be considered for funding
• works will need to be completed within the 12 months from date of signing the agreement.

How to apply?

Landholders are now welcome to complete an expression of interest form to determine eligibility for the Adaptive Farms for Sustainable Landscapes program. Once an EOI has been submitted, a Riverina Local Land Services officer will contact you to provide details on how to access the online learning and discuss your program.

Funding is limited and an expression of interest must be submitted and received by 30th April 2023.

Please note that landholders will need to complete online training and submit a project design by 12^th May 2023.