The judges were impressed by our powerful online tool BirdCast, which helps farmers identify management actions to support conservation of birds on their properties.

BirdCast draws on nearly two decades of data collected by Sustainable Farms ecologists on hundreds of farms in south-eastern Australia. With many species of native wildlife under threat and biodiversity declining worldwide, farmers have an opportunity to contribute to creating habitat for numerous species. The BirdCast tool enables farmers to predict what birds might utilise woodland areas on their farm, and to understand how bird occupancy might change under a range of management actions.

Sustainable Farms Lead Scientist Professor David Lindenmayer said this free tool enables land managers to access real science to help them make the best decisions for their farm.

“Biodiversity in the woodlands of southeastern Australia is under threat, and farmers are keen to know how they can help turn this around,” Professor Lindenmayer said.

“The long-term ecological studies undertaken by our team over two decades mean we have a really good understanding of how wildlife responds to management changes.”

This award closely follows on from Sustainable Farms winning the Eureka Prize for Applied Environmental Research, just a few weeks ago.

Click here to find out more and use BirdCast

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The free web tool gives farmers an indication of which woodland bird species might be living on their farms, and how that might change under different scenarios.

Director of Sustainable Farms, Michelle Young, said this latest recognition comes after decades of working closely with farmers to gather data.

“None of this work would been possible without the support of those farmers who enabled our team to monitor biodiversity on their properties for the last two decades,” she said.

“BirdCast is a practical tool that draws on this research, and gives farmers and land managers access to scientific data to help protect and conserve our shared natural heritage.

“For example, it allows farmers to predict the changes that would happen if they planted a new shelterbelt on their farm, or restored a degraded patch of remnant woodland,” Ms Young said.

Click here to find out more and use BirdCast.

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Andy Taylor, Senior Natural Resource Management Advisor from Braidwood LLS, led the group on a stroll through patches of remnant eucalypt woodland to observe local bird life. Spotted alongside the familiar wood ducks, rosellas, and wrens, were three sightings of the male Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang – pictured). This vulnerable little bird is the flagship species for LLS’s Save Our Scarlet Robin Program, which has helped fund fences and native plants to protect and revegetate over 500 hectares in the region, with the aim of increasing habitat connectivity for a range of threatened woodland birds.

The sightings at Sunday’s field day show promising signs for the Scarlet Robin, with many pairs reported by Bombay Landcare members along the river corridor this winter. Sadly, much of its preferred habitat – dry eucalypt woodlands, usually with shrubs and an open, grassy understorey – were damaged in the Black Summer bushfires. However, at the site visited on Sunday, post-fire plantings to improve the density of mid-storey shrubs are doing well, and will grow to provide cover for small birds from predators like currawongs, as well as forage and nesting habitat.

Andy outlined that, while the Save Our Scarlet Robin Program transitions to the next phase of monitoring established sites, landowners can continue to seek advice from LLS on their own protection and revegetation projects to promote habitat for woodland birds. He also highlighted the importance of citizen science, where landholders can record sightings of threatened birds on apps like eBird and Birdata. This data can help researchers evaluate population movements and, in the long term, potentially identify whether programs like the Scarlet Robin project are supporting a resurgence of threatened species.

After the bird walk, researchers from ANU’s Sustainable Farms took to the stage, leading Landcarers past two dam sites, one grazed and the other excluded from livestock. Richard Beggs, a Research and Extension Officer who’s done extensive monitoring on birds and dams in the Murray-Riverina region, as well as a PhD on native noisy miners in box-gum grassy woodland, pointed out valuable information on ways to improve the quality of dams for agricultural use, but also enhance them as an ecological resource to support biodiversity.

Michelle Young, Sustainable Farms Director, was also there to show the group some of the great resources the project has developed, including handy planting guides on what-to-plant-where around your dams. As an example, leaving old growth trees in the vicinity of the dam is highly beneficial (albeit not on, or right beside the dam wall as it can compromise its integrity). These trees offer an intricate habitat, decades advanced, and can help shade the water and prevent excessive evaporation during a hot summer. Similarly, having a healthy range of terrestrial and aquatic plants growing in and around the dam can help filter the water, improving its quality and the wellbeing and weight gain of the animals drinking it.

Given the vast majority of land use in Australia (>50%) is taken up by various agricultural pursuits, a powerful take home from Richard was the significant role farmland can play in striving for a balanced, productive, biodiverse, and resilient landscape. Enhancing your natural assets, even a simple farm dam, is a positive step forward.

Upper Shoalhaven Landcare would like to thank Andy Taylor, Richard Beggs, and  Michelle Young for sharing their expertise and joining the Bombay Landcare group for the day. We also wish to acknowledge Local Land Services for funding the event, and Vanessa Bunn, from Vanilla Catering, for saving the day by turning up with hot sausage rolls and soup in the gusty conditions on Sunday.

– Corben Hart and Erin Brinkley from Upper Shoalhaven Landcare Council

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The web tool is now in the running for the applied environmental research category in the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.  The prizes are Australia’s most comprehensive and high-profile science awards.

Director of Sustainable Farms at ANU, Michelle Young, said BirdCast helped farmers protect Australia’s incredible wildlife and biodiversity.

“BirdCast is a practical tool that supports farmers and land managers to protect and conserve our shared natural heritage,” she said.

“It enables farmers to predict what birds might use and live in woodland areas on their farm, and to understand how the bird species present might change under a range of scenarios, such as planting a new shelterbelt or restoring a degraded patch of remnant woodland.

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“BirdCast is a practical tool that can support farmers and land managers to protect and conserve our shared natural heritage. It enables farmers to predict what birds might utilise woodland areas on their farm, and to understand how the bird species present might change under a range of scenarios,” Ms Young said. Ms Young is pictured with Sustainable Farms ecologist Eleanor Lang at the awards ceremony in Sydney.

“At a time when many species of plants and animals are threatened by extinction, woodland areas on farms are extremely valuable, providing food and homes for many of these species. It’s important that management of these areas are supported by science to help protect biodiversity. The BirdCast tool gives land managers a solid indication of how their own changes in management might have a real-world impact on biodiversity,” Ms Young said.

“It can sometimes be difficult for the farmers and other land managers who are stewards of our natural heritage to access real science to inform their decision making on farms, and this tool can support these decisions when it comes to managing woodland areas on farms.”

The BirdCast tool.

The BirdCast tool draws on two decades of research undertaken on farms by the Sustainable Farms team at the Australian National University. Sustainable Farms is a research and extension project demonstrating the value of natural assets – such as native vegetation and farm dams – for environmental health and farm profitability.

The National Trust Heritage Awards are an annual celebration of outstanding practice in heritage conservation, protection and interpretation, including of natural heritage. The Sustainable Farms BirdCast tool received a Highly Commended Award in the category “Resources and Publications”. View the complete shortlist and winners on the National Trust website.

BirdCast was built by Kassel Hingee, with input from many members of the Sustainable Farms team at The Australian National University. Support was provided by Meat and Livestock Australia. Photographs and descriptions of birds have been generously provided by BirdLife Australia and BirdLife Australia Photography, and CRE8IVE provided expert advice on the webtool interface and functionality.

Click here to access BirdCast.

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