Business approach to biodiversity

Location:	New South Wales
National priority area:	Biodiversity and natural icons
Targets:	Environmental Stewardship Program - To secure at least 30,000 hectares of nationally threatened ecological communities through the Environmental Stewardship Program by June 2011
Funding:	Over 15 years

Environmental Stewardship Program

New South Wales land manager Barry Gay has contracted to manage 70 hectares of box gum grassy woodland for conservation purposes through the Environmental Stewardship Program.

New South Wales land manager Barry Gay has made conservation a part of his property’s business. The property Euralie, lies north-east of Cowra. He is actively managing 70 hectares of box gum grassy woodland for conservation purposes with support from the Environmental Stewardship Program.

Euralie’s box gum grassy woodland has only ever been grazed conservatively. Therefore, the site is in good condition with a diversity of native grasses, forbs and herbs remaining in the understorey which are most evident during spring.

Recently high rainfall has produced an abundance of native wildflowers with more than 60 native species recently identified. Species listed as vulnerable have been identified in the area including the Yass daisy (Ammobium craspedioides) and superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii).

Barry is enthusiastic about his managed site: “I am very excited about the site’s quality and diversity and am looking forward to seeing how it improves into the future”.

Barry will be funded over 15 years to manage the site for conservation with a view to improving its condition over the contract period. A key management action is exclusion of grazing by livestock over spring and summer each year to allow native forbs and herbs to flower and set seed. This is delivering an increase in the number and diversity of these species over time.

In addition, Barry is monitoring and controlling exotic plants and managing total grazing pressure on the site. He is retaining all dead and living standing timber on the site, not disturbing or removing bush rock and retaining fallen timber to increase the available habitat for native plants and animals. He has also chosen to maintain the structure of his soil and retain its suitability for native plants by not fertilising or cultivating the site.

Barry is receiving an environmental stewardship payment to offset the loss of grazing income over the exclusion period as well as meet the direct costs of managing the site for conservation outcomes.

His funding agreement extends to 15 years, which is considered to be enough time for the site to improve in condition if the identified management regime is followed. There is the opportunity to vary the contract within the existing budget should the management regime be seen as not delivering the outcome sought.