Farmers are protecting corridors of land to improve biodiversity for annual payments and to attract premium prices.
The latest NSW Biodiversity Outlook Report, published earlier this year, shows 50 million trees and 100,000 hectares are lost across the state each year.Greg Rummery is a farmer with properties around Walgett in northern NSW.He signed a Biodiversity Trust agreement four years ago and receives annual payments of about $22,000 to protect a corridor along the Namoi River on his 1,000-hectare property.
"Look at the two biggest culprits and we've done nothing about them in the last 30 years ... feral cats and foxes."In the south of the state, Clare Cannon from Woomargama Station at Holbrook is using what she calls "natural capital" to attract premium prices for her wool. North of Jerilderie, Owen and Helen Huggins have put 1,600ha into conservation agreements with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust.
The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists said those groups must play a role in reversing habitat loss and repairing the landscapes they manage.The group has estimated the cost of repairing the damage done over the past two centuries at $7.3 billion a year for 30 years. Professor Pittock wants to stop land clearing in marginal farming areas, encourage farmers to protect biodiversity and address environmental degradation.
Not everyone is on board with the current strategies, including NSW Farmers board member Oscar Pearse.
Biodiversity Biodiversity Farming Land Clearing Threatened Species Endangered Animals Environmental Policy Nsw Farmers Farms Government Policy
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