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MEDIA RELEASE 19/9/2025: SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FARMERS FROM LANDLIFE SOUTHWEST

Keeping carbon on the farm will be critical under Australia’s new emission reduction regime announced by the Commonwealth Government. Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network’s recently launched LandLife SouthWest program will help Moyne and Warrnambool achieve this through targeted incentives that help landowners increase soil biomass and water storage, reduce the impact of temperature and drought on pastures and stock, and plant trees to increase carbon sinks.

Chair of Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network (WCLN), Christine Wardle, said: “Agriculture underpins the south west Victorian economy. A drying climate, declining soil health and biodiversity loss threaten the foundations of the agricultural industry, as well as the natural ecosystems on which we all rely. Supporting farmers to adopt sustainable, regenerative agricultural practices is good for the natural environment and the agricultural sector.”

WCLN’s LandLife SouthWest program has a long-term landscape scale vision to create a climate and drought resilient agricultural sector in the region. Ms Wardle said that we will do this through demonstration sites and direct project funding to farmers to convert monocultural pastures to more resilient and productive multispecies pastures; this would increase the capacity of soils to store water and carbon and be more drought resistant, provide shade and shelter to stock and pastures by planting native shelterbelts, and help to protect waterways and wetlands through fencing and native plantings.

Ms Wardle said that over time this would help to connect the fragmented natural landscape, build our natural capital and provide biodiversity corridors that link the coast to Gariwerd/The Grampians and the Otway Ranges to Budj Bim.

LandLife SouthWest video overview: https://youtu.be/HgIj1C_Fpw4

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

In 2025, Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Network will proudly celebrate 30 years of working towards improving our environment. Look out for details of upcoming events to help us celebrate this monumental achievement.