Riverina Natural Capital Advisor Allie Maffei is one of 11 new advisors working through Local Land Services across the state. Photo: NSWLLS.
The NSW Government has appointed a team of 11 new natural capital advisors who they hope will help to future-proof the agricultural industry and increase resilience in the face of a changing climate.
The program is run by Local Land Services to help advise farmers on the environmental and economic opportunities available through investing in natural assets such as soil, trees, water, plants and ecosystems.
NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the scheme would help land managers better protect their natural capital and expand their revenue streams.
“We know that farmers want to find ways to make their farms more productive and sustainable, maintain access to markets, and improve natural resources on their farms,” she said.
“That’s why we’ve invested in this natural capital initiative and appointed 11 natural capital advisors to provide independent information and support landholders navigate decisions in natural capital management and environmental markets.
“Farmers can contact the advisors to get started on their natural capital journey and be rewarded for good environmental stewardship.
Riverina Natural Capital Advisor Allie Maffei said the program would benefit on-farm business and ensure the long-term resilience of regional landscapes.
“Some examples of things that people can do to improve natural assets on their land include establishing new plantings, which will store carbon whilst also providing habitat for threatened species and shade and shelter for livestock,” she said.
“Some other things that people can do [are] maintaining ground cover, retaining stubble, maintaining a soil health program that will not only help the productivity of the land, but also increase carbon storage in the soil itself, and also enhance lands and wetlands and riparian zones, which not only will help create habitat, but also can help with water security and water quality.”
Riverina Natural Capital Advisor Cherie White said there were many benefits for farmers. Photo: NSWLLS.
The scheme will be expanded statewide and the NSW Government hopes to connect farmers to the consumers, investors, banks, and insurers who are increasingly taking environmental outcomes into account when making decisions.
Returns can be achieved through biodiversity markets and the earning of biodiversity credits by managing, restoring or protecting species or ecosystems and through capital asset accounting, adding the natural assets farmers manage to their business balance sheet.
Riverina Natural Capital Advisor Cherie White said there were many benefits for farmers.
“I’m really looking forward through this role to helping landholders to realise the unique features that they have on their farms and the ways that they can protect and manage them,” she said.
“Not only for their own benefits but for the community and the environmental markets enables them to be rewarded for those positive actions that they take.
“We have these positions that are placed across the state who can help you to understand the unique features that you have on your farm that relate to the industries that you’re involved in and work out ways that you can improve those assets.
“Like fence off your waterways, connect areas to benefit not only your farm, but also you can be positively rewarded for taking those actions.”
NSW Local Land Services will be hosting ‘Natural Capital Conversation’ events in August and September.
Original Article published by Chris Roe on Region Riverina.
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