NLC Is Landcare Worthwhile?
How do you know if Landcare activities are worth the money spent on them?
The Woadyyaloak Catchment Group tried to work it out.
Facilitator Cam Nicholson explained to the National Landcare Conference how they did it.
Much of the catchment is established farmland, with very little remnant vegetation due to intensive gold mining through the area.
The Group does audits each 10 years to measure the health of the catchment. They measure: soil health, waterway health, percentage of farmland planted to trees, and viability of farm businesses.
A summary of the audit is at:
http://www.woadyyaloak.com.au/resources/Landcare%20productivity%20survey%20%282013%29.pdf
This audit gives an indication of which projects are successful and which areas need attention.
This is of interest to the CMA, funders. and farmers (who are also the major funders).
The Woady website is at: http://www.woadyyaloak.com.au/index.php