Using EMS to assess and manage biodiversity

<< EMS in Victorian Agriculture

Biodiversity, the range of biological organisms within any environment, is an important area which needs to be addressed when implementing an EMS on a farm. EMS is a tool which can help agriculture achieve ecological sustainability. The Victorian Departments of Primary Industries and Sustainability and Environment are developing tools for farmers to use to understand and assess the impacts of agricultural activity and provide guidance on how to manage native biodiversity on farms. Extensive information about incorporating biodiversity into EMS can be found on the Department of Sustainability and Environment - Environmental Management in Agriculture web site

Biodiversity EMS project Summaries

EMS in Best Agricultural Practice of Native Biodiversity Conservation in Grazing Industries - PROJECT COMPLETED

Funded by: The sub-project was funded by the Naturally Victorian Initiative Approach taken: This project involved 9 farms from the GippsBeef Marketing Alliance, Rutherglen Research Institute Farm, Ellinbank Dairy Research Institute Farm. This project has completed piloting a range of Native Biodiversity assessments, extension materials and standards (catchment targets for native biodiversity) within an EMS framework on beef, grains, dairy and wool properties. Many of the participant farms have developed a full EMS for their farms, and are addressing native biodiversity in their EMS and farm programs. The project also liased with specific grains, dairy, beef and horticulture projects to assist facilitating the use of a practical approach for including native biodiversity in farm planning to achieve Best Agricultural Practice in Native Biodiversity Conservation.

To view the PDF document you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy can be downloaded from the Adobe Acrobat website (external link)

Best Agricultural Practice for Native Biodiversity Conservation in Grazing Industries


(Adobe PDF 463kb)

Environmental Management in Agriculture - Native Biodiversity Resource Kit

New release: Environmental Management in Agriculture WORK SHEET SERIES 1-8 Contact: Andrew Straker (03) 5336 6716 andrew.straker@dse.vic.gov.au The Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment has released 5,000 copies of a hard copy publication WORK SHEET SERIES 1-8, designed for farmers to assess the quality of native habitat. This publication includes a practical, single page self-assessment form to assist land managers work towards improved conservation of native biodiversity. This work sheet series was first launched early 2005 in a CD ROM attachment to the Environmental Management in Agriculture: Native Biodiversity Resource Kit (copies available online from DSE's website) however, regional facilitators and industry groups throughout Victoria suggested that farmers required a user-friendly, hard copy format to use on the farm, hence the release of this work sheet series 1-8.

Extensively trialed by farmer groups throughout Victoria, the work sheet series captures the best of what is currently available to integrate biodiversity within agricultural systems. It includes tools to identify appropriate biodiversity standards and catchment targets, and provides advice on practical on-farm actions that farmers can use to monitor their management practices.

Incorporating Biodiversity into EMS for Victorian Agriculture Contact: Kim Lowe, Parks Flora & Fauna Division ph. 03 9637 8463 Funded by: Project funded by Parks, Flora & Fauna Division; report printing funded by Naturally Victorian Initiative, Agriculture Division. Approach taken: The report aims to stimulate change through voluntary mechanisms that improve the understanding and encourage the adoption, among a broad audience, of the conservation and restoration of biodiversity in the Victorian agricultural sector using EMS. The importance of biodiversity conservation as an integral component of agricultural systems moving toward ecologically sustainable development (ESD) is explained. A generic biodiversity module within an EMS framework has been developed to exemplify how biodiversity conservation and management objectives can be translated into measurable standards and actions on an individual farm enterprise, and also on a bioregional level. A practical scenario is used to illustrate how the biodiversity module could be applied to individual farm enterprises.

Incorporating Biodiversity into Environmental Management Systems for Victorian Agriculture: A discussion paper on developing a methodology for linking performance standards and management systems" by Anderson S., Lowe K., Preece K. and Crouch A. 2001


(Adobe PDF 891kb)