A new regional knowledge hub designed to help North Coast landholders and professionals understand and engage with natural capital and emerging environmental markets has launched.
Tree Farmer (www.treefarmer.au) say they have brought together practical information, expert insights and learning opportunities to support people across the region to explore nature repair, tree growing and environmental markets.
In a media release they say, ‘Developed by the Subtropical Farm Forestry Association (SFFA), the Tree Farmer knowledge hub aims to demystify the rapidly evolving environmental markets landscape and ensure local communities can participate in ways that support both the environment and regional livelihoods’.
‘Tree Farmer provides a central place for North Coast landholders, farmers, environmental professionals and community organisations to access trusted resources, connect with others in the sector and build their understanding of emerging opportunities.
Project lead and Byron Shire farmer Dr Joe Harvey-Jones said Tree Farmer was created in response to growing interest from landholders seeking reliable information about environmental markets and the opportunity for the North Coast to shape its own local markets in ways that work for our landscapes and communities.
‘Environmental markets are evolving quickly in Australia, but the information can often be complex and difficult to navigate. Tree Farmer has been created to provide practical, locally relevant knowledge that helps people understand the opportunities and challenges. Our goal is to empower North Coast landholders to make informed decisions about their land, their trees and the future of their landscapes’.
‘The online knowledge hub includes articles, videos, research and resources focused on environmental markets, tree growing and nature repair across the North Coast region.
‘As part of the launch, Tree Farmer is offering a limited number of free online courses and workshops designed specifically for people living and working in the Northern Rivers. Delivered in partnership with the Centre for Community Capital, the courses provide practical foundations and collaboration opportunities.
‘Natural capital and environmental markets practitioner Meaghan Burkett, who is facilitating the learning program, said building local knowledge and capability is essential as these markets develop.
‘Natural capital and environmental markets are becoming an increasingly important part of how we value and invest in nature. These courses are designed to make the concepts clear and practical, and to relate them to the North Coast context so landholders and professionals can understand how these systems work, what they might mean for their land and work, and ways they can help shape and influence how these markets develop locally.
Self-paced online courses with workshops and peer-to-peer learning
‘The program combines self-paced online courses with workshops and peer-to-peer learning, helping participants explore how environmental markets could apply within the North Coast’s unique landscapes and communities, and future opportunities for developing local markets.
Landholders are invited to complete a short Environmental Markets Stakeholder Survey and go in the draw to win a book prize pack from the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy. The insights gathered will guide future resources, training programs and collaboration within the Tree Farmer knowledge hub.
‘The project is supported by the North Coast Regional Landcare Network (NCRLN) through the Caring for Catchments program, which aims to strengthen environmental outcomes and collaboration across the region’.
Bridget Kent, NRCLN Regional Projects Operations Manager, said the initiative will help build regional capacity and informed participation in emerging environmental markets.
Bridget said, ‘Projects like Tree Farmer play an important role in helping local communities understand complex environmental systems and opportunities. By bringing together knowledge, training and collaboration, the knowledge hub supports landholders and organisations across the North Coast to engage with environmental markets in ways that benefit both landscapes and communities’.
‘North Coast residents, landholders and environmental professionals are encouraged to explore the new website and register their interest in upcoming courses. Plus landholders can have their say in the Stakeholder Survey, and help Tree Farmer target issues that matter most to them.
Visit: www.treefarmer.au – Connect: Facebook | LinkedIn – Take the Survey: Environmental Markets Stakeholder Survey
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
