Tablelands Land Management grants opened for land owners

“I think everyone would like a pleasant place to live and work. Farms are a little different to most work places but one of my motivations over the years has been to create a nicer place to be,” Mr Jarvis said.

In collaboration with South East Local Land Services (LLS), Mr Jarvis has established wildlife corridors by planting clusters and paddock trees to provide habitat and diversity of vegetation to entice native wildlife and also to provide shelter for stock in their self-replacing merino operation.

“South East Local Land Services has provided funding to our business to plant single native paddock trees as well as trees in small clusters. Although the area fenced off to trees has increased, our stock numbers haven’t decreased,” he said.

“Our stock know and use the shelter, whether it be the off shears sheep or lambing ewes.”

The Tablelands Land Management grants are funded by Catchment Action NSW and the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

Land managers who want to implement sustainable grazing practices, provide shelter for their stock and improve the environmental values on their property are encouraged to get in contact to see if they are eligible to receive funding.

Sari Glover, area local manager, said that land managers come to the program with various motivations.

“The outcomes that need to be met to receive a grant are quite clear, but we find that each land manager will come to us for a slightly different reason,” Ms Glover said.

“We are seeing that there is a clear concern for productivity, but also a desire to leave the land in a better condition than when they found it.”

For Steve Jarvis, it has been worth the time and effort. “I truly believe we need to farm in tune with nature and not continually fight it,” he said.

For more information about the 2017–18 Tablelands Land Management grants, visit southeast.lls.nsw.gov.au or contact your nearest LLS office.