Principles of Landscape Management

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Farm Ecosystem

Energy

Soil

Water

Diversity

Connectivity

Guiding principles for sustainable and profitable agriculture

This is a subset of guiding principles that can help you make farm management decisions to increase environmental health, farm health, and ultimately farm productivity. The principles have been developed to apply directly to farm enterprises and to target particular ecosystem services to enhance both farm productivity and biodiversity. These principles are presented in more depth further down this web page.

Farm Ecosystem
Minimise the “leakage” of critical natural capital (soil, water, nutrients & biodiversity)
Manage for diversity with a diversity of management
Energy
Maximise the capture, storage and use of solar energy
Reduce reliance on fossil energy inputs
Soil
Improve soil structure and health
Improve the capacity of soil to capture and store water, and more….
Water
Capture and store rainfall in the soil profile
Improve the health of waterways, wetlands and other water bodies
Diversity
Maintain and increase native vegetation cover
Maximise the benefits of adjacent land uses
Target pest control to minimise impacts on non-target plant & animal species
Connectivity
Maintain and improve habitat connectivity
Create new corridors or stepping stones between areas of native vegetation

Open Guiding Principles table as pdf

Principles for Production and Biodiversity

The link between the guiding principles for landscape management, ecosystem services, and on-farm management actions.

Farm Ecosystem

Why?

Ecosystem Service Links

What you can do at the property scale

Soil, water and diversity of plants, crops and animals provide the raw materials for all agricultural production.

Maintaining and rebuilding natural capital is the basis for sustainable production.

Essential services

Photosynthesis

Nutrient cycling

Soil formation

Biodiversity

Ecosystem goods

Food

Fibre

Fresh water

Fuel

Regulating services

Water regulation

Erosion control

Climate regulation

Pest control

Disease regulation

Water purification

Use management practices that minimise the ‘leakage’ of critical natural capital such as soil, water, nutrients and biodiversity on all land types and all land uses by maintaining ecosystem functions that regenerate and renew soil, water and plant and animal populations. Practices include managing the hydrological, nutrient and carbon cycles.

Match land use and management to the underlying capability of the land, and create a diversity of vegetation types across the farm and local landscape. This can be achieved by

developing a farm plan to match land use and management practices to the underlying land capability and retain some areas for conservation and low input production
using crop rotations, buffer strips, remnant vegetation and revegetation, different stock types and grazing strategies, burning or slashing to create mosaics of vegetation and encourage a diversity of vegetation types, conditions and growth stages across the farm
planning farm layouts to take advantage of shelter, erosion control, riparian protection, buffering sensitive crops or wildlife habitats and natural pest control benefits provided by native vegetation and fodder plants and crops
establishing shelterbelts along fence lines, margins or alleys

Diversity of management actions also creates different vegetation types of different composition and at different growth or successional stages, providing habitat for a range of beneficial species. Do this by

using different grazing strategies (timing, stocking rate) in different areas or in different years
trialling different crops or management inputs
establishing a range of different vegetation types and life forms in non cultivated areas

Principle:

Maintain & rebuild natural capital

Why?

Ecosystem Service Links

What you can do at the property scale

Energy

Fossil fuels are finite and subject to price fluctuations. They also produce a range of by-products that impact on human and ecological health.

Renewable energy sources reduce reliance on external energy inputs and reduce emissions.

Essential services

Photosynthesis

Nutrient cycling

Atmospheric gas regulation

Ecosystem goods

Food/crops

Fibre

Reduce reliance on fossil energy inputs by:

reducing tillage and use of energy intensive inputs such as fertiliser and chemicals

Use renewable energy sources where possible by:

Consider wind or solar energy sources for some on farm energy needs

Principle:

Reduce reliance on fossil energy inputs

	Why?	Ecosystem Service Links	What you can do at the property scale
Energy	Solar energy captured and stored as carbohydrates in plant and other organic material drives food chains and ecosystems	Essential services Photosynthesis Nutrient cycling Biodiversity Ecosystem goods Food Fibre Regulating services Water regulation Climate regulation	Maximise the capture and storage of solar energy by: establishing or encouraging perennial plants through grazing management, particular development of deep root systems managing grazing to maintain high levels of live plant material reducing total grazing pressure maintaining ground cover to retain carbon on farm crop rotations and cover crops that maintain growing plants over the maximum time period throughout the year
*Principle:* Maximise the capture, storage and use of solar energy

Soil

Why?

Ecosystem Service Links

What you can do at the property scale

Physically, chemically and biologically healthy soils:

· improve infiltration & water holding capacity

· reduce erosion

· increase plant access to nutrients and soil water.

Enhancing natural soil fertility reduces the need for artificial fertilisers, reduces input costs and reduces risk of nutrient run off.

Allowing natural decomposition and breakdown of plant and animal wastes provides soil nutrients, and food & energy for soil microbes, invertebrates and other natural predators

Essential services

Photosynthesis

Soil formation

Nutrient cycling

Biodiversity

Ecosystem goods

Food

Fibre

Fresh water

Regulating services

Erosion control

Water regulation

Water purification

Disease regulation

Improve soil health by:

retaining and increasing organic matter by retaining ground cover, minimising tillage & soil disturbance, using cover crops & mulches
controlling machinery and stock traffic
using crop rotations, including deeper rooted crops & cover crops
retaining ground cover and increase perennial tussock grass cover though planned-rest grazing strategies
reduce surface evaporation through use of cover crop & mulches
maintain populations of ‘soil engineers’, including echidnas and small mammals, and ground foraging birds and invertebrates such as termites, ants, spiders, beetles, bees and wasps by protecting and linking their habitats

Enhance natural soil fertility by:

maintaining ground cover
minimising and timing tillage
using crop rotations, cover crops and mulch to increase soil organic matter
grazing forages in the paddock rather than harvesting
using livestock to harvest and move nutrients across the farm
encouraging perennial tussock grasses in grazing systems

Allow natural decomposition of plant and animal materials by:

retaining ground cover to encourage development of soil fauna and decomposition processes
retaining crop residues to kick start soil processes
managing grazing to maintain ground cover, provide residue input, reduce overgrazing and trampling
retaining fallen timber, branches and litter around the base of scattered trees

Principle:

Improve
soil
health

Water	Why?	Ecosystem Service Links	What you can do at the property scale
Water	Capturing and retaining rainfall in the soil provides moisture for use by crops, improved & native pastures, and other native vegetation, which sustains plant growth over longer periods. Slowing overland flows of water reduces erosion and nutrient leaching, and increases soil organic matter.	Essential services Nutrient cycling Ecosystem goods Food Fibre Fresh water Regulating services Water regulation	Increase soil water holding capacity and slow the movement of water across the farm system by: matching land uses to underlying land capability (e.g. avoid cultivation on steeper land classes or areas prone to erosion) improving soil water holding capacity by increasing soil organic matter – e.g. planned rest grazing, minimum tillage and stubble retention, minimal use of artificial fertilisers, reduced stock and machinery traffic. implementing grazing strategies to maintain ground cover and increase perenniality to improve infiltration. implementing minimum tillage to maintain ground cover and reduce compaction leaving fallen timber, branches and litter to create barriers to trap litter and nutrients and reduce overland flow leaving drainage lines uncultivated, leave grass buffer strips between crop margin and drainage lines protecting, restoring and managing riparian areas through fencing, revegetation and grazing management
*Principle:* Capture and store rainfall in the soil profile

Water

Why?

Ecosystem Service Links

What you can do at the property scale

Healthy waterways and riparian zones provide water purification services, which reduce the risk of algal blooms, pathogens, disease and aquatic weeds.

Healthy riparian zones also reduce turbidity and capture nutrients, improving livestock health, habitat and recreational opportunities.

Essential services

Nutrient cycling

Biodiversity

Ecosystem goods

Fresh water

Regulating services

Water regulation

Water purification

Erosion control

Local climate regulation

Reduce contamination of water bodies by soil, nutrients and chemicals by:

matching land uses to underlying land capability (eg avoid cultivation on steeper land classes or areas prone to erosion)
establishing no spray/no fertiliser buffer zones near drainage lines and water bodies
maintaining filter strips to capture sediment and contaminates by establishing perennial grass buffer strips and tree/shrub belts between crop margins and drainage lines and water bodies
fencing water bodies to manage stock access
locating stock troughs away from water bodies or buffer zones

Improve in-stream habitats by:

fencing water bodies to manage stock access
maintaining natural flow regimes where possible
leaving or replacing in-stream habitat structure such as logs, branches and rocks
avoiding or removing in-stream barriers that completely block the movement of aquatic fauna along waterways
retaining riparian and aquatic vegetation

Principle:

Improve the health of waterways, wetlands and other water bodies

Why?

Ecosystem Service Links

What you can do at the property scale

Diversity

Native vegetation has benefits for adjacent production areas including maintenance of local micro-climates, reduced wind and water erosion, maintenance of hydrological cycles, and provision of habitat for beneficial species and other native species.

Native vegetation can produce a range of commercial products including wool, meat, timber, seeds, fruit, honey, etc.

Small remnants and scattered trees provide shade and shelter, influence soil nutrients, assist fungi and bacteria to establish, and provide habitat for beneficial species.

Essential services

Photosynthesis

Nutrient cycling

Soil formation

Pollination

Atmospheric gas regulation

Biodiversity

Ecosystem goods

Improved productivity

Native seed

Fresh water

Regulating services

Water regulation

Climate regulation

Disease regulation

Retain or revegetate native vegetation on productive and non-productive land types.

Retain and enlarge existing patches of native vegetation by:

fencing native vegetation to manage grazing
establishing buffer adjacent to remnant areas to minimise run off, fertiliser and spray drift into native vegetation
use natural regeneration to enlarge patches and widen strips along water ways and roadsides

Retain scattered trees and small patches of native vegetation within production areas by:

planning farm and paddock layouts to retain these where possible
use alley farming to avoid scattered trees
manage total grazing pressure to allow regeneration
use cropping phases to allow regeneration to escape stock browsing height

Create diversity and habitat complexity by:

using paddock corners, buffer zones, riparian areas, alley strips, steep, rocky, water logged or unproductive areas to retain or establish native vegetation
leaving fallen timber, branches and leaves to provide habitat, trap water and nutrients and protect plants from grazing and trampling

Establish new areas of native vegetation by:

managing grazing to allow tree and shrub regeneration
direct seeding and revegetation.

Principle:

Maintain and increase
native vegetation
cover

Why?

Ecosystem Service Links

What you can do at the property scale

Diversity

Well-planned farm layouts can maximise pest control and provide shelter and local climatic and hydrological moderation.

A diversity of vegetation types (including perennial and annual, native and crops/pastures, tall/low, dense/sparse) produces a wider range of products and ecosystem services, and creates diverse habitats for beneficial and other native species

Essential services

Nutrient cycling

Pollination

Biodiversity

Ecosystem goods

Food

Fibre

Regulating services

Water regulation

Local climate regulation

Erosion control

Maximise benefits of adjacent land uses by:

Considering pest control, buffering, shelter, climatic control and hydrological and connectivity issues when planning farm layouts

Buffers capture run off, sediment, chemicals, nutrients & weeds; reduce fluxes of wind, solar radiation & water; and provide shade, shelter, feed & emergency refuge for livestock. Create buffers by;

incorporating buffers into farm planning
fencing to manage or exclude grazing
leaving uncultivated strips, minimise traffic, use of chemicals and fertilisers and soil disturbance in buffer zones
establishing buffer vegetation adjacent to cropped or high stock traffic areas where there is risk of water flows and erosion (the steeper the land, the wider the buffer)
establish buffers around or upstream of sensitive parts of the landscape including steep, erodible, streams, floodplains, wetlands or waterlogged areas

Principle:

Maximise the benefits of adjacent land uses

	Why?	Ecosystem Service Links	What you can do at the property scale
Diversity	Well targeted pest plant and animal control reduces pest populations while minimising the impact on beneficial and other non target species. It also reduces the risk of chemical impacts on other ecosystems and lowers inputs costs	Essential services Pollination Biodiversity Ecosystem goods Food Fibre Regulating services Disease and pest control Water purification	Effectively target pest species by: seeking advice and assistance to identify and learn about key pests, their population cycles, their natural predators and their habitat requirements using correct application rates and equipment for chemicals and timing application to minimise impacts on non-target species using companion planting, crop rotations, alley farming, and strip cropping, and maintaining and increase habitats of beneficial predator species to increase natural pest control and reduce the need for artificial pest control
*Principle:* Target pest control to minimise impacts on non-target plant & animal species

Why?

Ecosystem Service Links

What you can do at the property scale

Connectivity

Allowing animals to move between habitat areas provides access to food, shelter/nesting and water resources and maintains genetically healthy populations of species.

Connectivity also ensures ecological functions such as pollination are maintained. Areas that have been isolated for long periods may have lost species or critical functions. Corridors, small patches and scattered trees provide linkages and stepping stones across open areas and corridors allowing species to move between patches of habitat.

Essential services

Pollination

Biodiversity

Regulating services

Disease and pest control

Local climate regulation

Water regulation

Maintain remaining corridors between areas of native vegetation and along waterways by:

fencing and managing linking vegetation and riparian areas to manage grazing, control weeds and feral predators.
minimising disturbances such as cultivation, chemical or fertiliser use corridors and riparian zones

Improve connectivity through creation of corridors or stepping stones by:

including corridors and stepping stones in farm planning and lay out
widening existing linkages such as riparian areas and roadsides
adding vegetation to scattered tress and small remnants
revegetating steep, rocky or unproductive areas
revegetating along fence lines, crop margins, drainage lines, tracks and laneways and irrigation infrastructure to form linkages

Principle:

Maintain & improve habitat connectivity

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