Macedon Ranges Shire Council: 2021 Winner – Premier's Regional Recognition Award
Macedon Ranges Shire Council is the Premier's Regional Recognition award winner in the Premier's Sustainability Awards 2021. Healthy Landscapes for Healthy Livestock
The Healthy Landscapes for Healthy Livestock project was initiated in response to poor land management outcomes observed across the Macedon Ranges.
The aim was to build the capacity of local livestock farmers to implement regenerative agriculture techniques that
- improved soil health
- enhanced biodiversity
- enhanced on-farm resilience to a changing climate.
The project also aimed to connect farmers through peer-to-peer learning, leading the establishment of a local regenerative agriculture community of practice.
Delivered online, the project used a combination of expert advice, webinars, and short courses to engage with both farmers and landowners. The webinar recordings were viewed 450 times by a range of relevant stakeholders.
An evaluation from 110 participants indicated that 100% of respondents had positively changed their land management practices.
With the help of stakeholders and local farmer partners, the program was able to achieve behavioural change and increase knowledge amongst landowners about sustainable land management and building a regenerative agricultural community of practice.
Its success has allowed for a 12-month extension and expansion into other council areas.
