When farming meets conservation

In a significant expansion for private land conservation in Tasmania, more than 800 hectares of privately owned farmland have been added to a nation-leading conservation management program in the state’s iconic Midlands. The region is recognised as one of Australia’s national priority places for biodiversity protection.

Three farming families – in the Isis Valley, Ross and Woodbury – have formalised agreements that expand the Midlands Conservation Partnership (MCP), led by Bush Heritage Australia and the Tasmanian Land Conservancy. The newly added areas strengthen protection for Tasmania’s critically endangered lowland native grasslands, which are one of the most fragmented and threatened ecosystems in the state.

One of the new agreements covers 438 hectares at Plassey in the Isis Valley, owned by Luke Rapley and his family. For Mr Rapley, joining the partnership was a deliberate decision to recognise and protect the ecological values already present on the farm.

“Seeing the diversity of plants and invertebrates here really brought home how special this place is,” Mr Rapley said.

“It’s worth managing carefully for the long term. Being part of the stewardship network means we can learn from other farmers and work through common challenges together.”

Tasmanian Land Conservancy CEO Dr Katherine Tuft said the new agreements reflect the leadership being shown by Midlands farmers Luke Rapley and his family, Julian and Annabel von Bibra, and Chris and Claire Headlam.

“Through these agreements, landholders are now stewarding around 12% of the remaining native grassland in the Midlands – ensuring these landscapes persist for generations to come.’

“These agreements show what’s possible when conservation is embedded into working farms.”

A nationally leading model for conservation on working farms

Established in 2011, the MCP, a joint initiative of the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and Bush Heritage Australia, now covers 8,000 hectares of high priority ecosystems.  

It supports landholders to protect and actively manage high-value native vegetation through agreements that keep land in production, while securing conservation outcomes in the long term. Crucially, the partnership is built on the understanding that active farm management – including carefully managed grazing – plays an essential role in maintaining and improving native grassland condition.

Dr Matt Appleby, Senior Ecologist at Bush Heritage Australia, said the public generally don’t appreciate that native grasslands are complex and beautiful ecosystems.

“They support such a rich variety of species – kangaroo grass and other native tussocks, as well as colourful orchids, lilies, daisies and everlastings, just to name a few examples.”

Alongside fragments of remnant woodland, the native grasslands also provide important habitat for threatened animals such as the Tasmanian bettong, eastern quoll and the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle.

Dr Appleby added that the partnership demonstrates that conservation and farming are not necessarily competing goals.

“When native grasslands are actively managed as part of a farming system, we see benefits flow both ways,” he said. “Healthy soils and diverse pastures create more resilient landscapes that support more productive and profitable farms, while also protecting one of Tasmania’s most threatened ecosystems over the long term.”