By Oliver Lees
Macedon Ranges council has been announced as a finalist for the Premier’s Sustainability Awards for 2021.
Council was named among 35 finalists in the Healthy Environment category for their Healthy Landscapes For Healthy Livestock series.
The project was developed to improve land management outcomes across the shire area, with specified advice for landowners to address issues around grazing, weed invasion, and loss of native grasslands.
Macedon Ranges council planning and environment director Angela Hughes said it was important to inform landowners of the best agricultural practices, as 87 per cent percent of land in the shire is privately owned.
“Sustainable farming practices can make a critical contribution to restoring landscapes and contributing to a healthy environment when regenerative methods are utilised. In contrast, poor farming practices can result in erosion, loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on local waterways,” Ms Hughes said.
“The project involves the provision of individual on-farm advice by a regenerative agriculture expert, delivery of a series of workshops, field days, and webinars, as well as the provision of regenerative grazing short courses.”
Ms Hughes said council had received strong positive feedback on the project, with 100 per cent of surveyed participants declaring it had enabled them to make positive changes to their land management practices.
