Beyond salinity: The challenge of meeting regional NRM targets through systematic landscape change 1. The case for conservation across the landscape 2. Challenges to the achievement of systematic landscape change 3. Strategies for future land-use and the FATE Program Peter Ampt FATE Program Manager

Strategies for future land-use 1. Reducing the negative impact of agriculture through incremental improvement in technology and sustainability and contraction to areas where it is most productive and has least negative impact. 2. Preservation and consolidation of existing areas of remnant native vegetation both on reserves and on private and leasehold land. 3. Landscape change – systematically incorporate more biodiverse vegetation in the landscape mosaic and improve its condition.

Landscape change –systematically incorporate more biodiverse vegetation in the landscape mosaic and improve its condition. Systematically – need large enough areas in the right place to provide connectivity, capture water, protect riverine areas, provide habitat and shelter etc Current efforts are fragmentary because they rely on voluntary uptake by individual land managers who lose conventional productive capacity as a result of their altruistic actions. Even when this is implemented it rarely (if ever?) is done across property boundaries or on a large enough area to have an impact at a sub-catchment level.

Landscape change – need to systematically incorporate more biodiverse vegetation in the landscape mosaic and improve its condition. Biodiverse vegetation – Regional NRM bodies generally equate native vegetation with biodiversity. There is a continuum between ‘pristine’ native vegetation at one end to a monoculture crop at the other. Even a monoculture crop can contribute to biodiversity but the more vegetation mimics native vegetation the greater it will contribution to biodiversity. Land use that achieves some of the structural and functional attributes of native vegetation will contribute more Examples include a timber plantation that has multiple levels and a number of species or a wide windbreak that combines local native species and commercially harvestable species.

Landscape change – need to systematically incorporate more biodiverse vegetation in the landscape mosaic and improve its condition. Landscape mosaic - in praise of patches A patchy landscape is preferable to a uniform one. Otherwise unsustainable systems such as intensive cropping, if embedded in a mosaic, will cause less damage such that the overall landscape may be stable and resilient. By contrast, vast areas of one land use become very vulnerable under adverse conditions. Building connectivity into the landscape is essential, as is strategically placing forms of land use in the landscape.

Landscape change – need to systematically incorporate more biodiverse vegetation in the landscape mosaic and improve its condition. Improve its condition – management of biodiverse areas can impact positively or negatively on land condition. Monitoring is essential. Just ‘locking up’ conservation areas and leaving them alone is rarely the best approach, unless the remnant is large enough and largely intact. Regrowth can be managed to promote greater biodiversity and to optimize the potential for future returns. A continuation of threatening processes such as overgrazing can lead to loss of biodiversity.

Achieving landscape change – the carrot or the stick? Voluntary adoption and Incentives Regulation and compensation Market-based Instruments Conservation through sustainable use (CSU) Countering fragmentation through collective action

The FATE Program (Future of Australia’s Threatened Ecosystems) What is the FATE Program? What has happened so far? What are the next steps?

What is the FATE Program? An action research program to demonstrate and evaluate the potential for the commercial use of native species to contribute to achieving more sustainable agricultural production systems in the rangelands and slopes. An initiative to integrate native species enterprises into existing rural enterprises to make a positive impact on landscapes and on conservation objectives

What is the FATE Vision? To incorporate alternative forms of land- use into the landscape mosaic of rural Australia that combine conservation and economic return through the commercial use of native species and biodiverse environments.

To improve incomes, land-holders are clearing marginal rangelands for cropping and grazing - can commercial use of native species provide a viable alternative that is more sustainable?

Sustainable commercial use of native species has potential to allow land- holders to gain a return from sensitive and critical areas. Landscape degradation:  Past and present land-use has resulted in decline in ecosystem function, loss of biodiversity and dryland salinity  Cost of this degradation in Australia has been estimated at $3-5 billion per year Need for significant changes in land-use patterns with preservation / regeneration of sensitive and critical areas – calls for market-based strategies to ease public burden.

Species conservation:  Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinctions  Currently reserves are insufficient to slow down or reverse rates of extinction Need for conservation of habitat and species on agricultural land; but for this to happen land-holders need to get some return rather than just further regulation (the carrot is better than the stick). Sustainable commercial use of native species has the potential to provide that return

Large kangaroos – a pest or a resource?  Populations holding or increasing  commercial zones have increased  cull or harvest - can land-holders benefit?  small existing industry in NSW with potential for domestic and export market expansion. Land-holders could manage kangaroo populations for ease of wild harvest and gain commercial benefit from them. Further market development and promotion of wild-harvested roo as clean, green and good for biodiversity would benefit land-holders.

80% of Australia’s species are endemic and yet few are utilised commercially.

Tetragonia tetragonoides; Warrigal Greens

Billardiera scandens; Apple Berry

“A giant leap forward in fast food ” Introducing Macadamia & Roo Burgers ! M ac Ro o  M ac Ro o 

FATE projects The development of the concept of multiple objective land-use. Greenleasing and designing landscapes. Contributing to the development of enterprises and industries based on the sustainable use of native species. CSU and the Kangaroo industry.

FATE Demonstration sites Located in rangeland and mixed cropping/grazing areas. Working with existing catchment, landholder and Indigenous groups. Engaging with the broader local community. Advancing FATE Projects at a local level.

Two FATE projects CSU and the kangaroo industry Designing landscapes and common property arrangements such as Greenleasing

CSU and the kangaroo industry Marketing research and developing new markets and value chain components Clarifying the contribution of kangaroos to total grazing pressure Changes to regulation to encourage landholder involvement Landholder involvement to achieve commercial returns, more flexible control of numbers and active management

Designing landscapes and Greenleasing 1. Design insertions in the landscape across property boundaries in sub-catchment through which regional NRM targets achieved 2. Create a common property entity that can attract sponsorship and investment, can apply for bush tender or other MBI’s 3. Greenlease land from landholders so they receive some return for loss of productive area 4. Utilise local and external knowledge to regenerate and manage the area 5. Develop sustainable use systems on Greenleased areas that achieve commercial and conservation objectives

Beyond salinity Landscape change created the present degradation problems We advocate systematic landscape change to simultaneously pursue salinity, water quality and biodiversity targets Action is needed before thresholds are reached