Farmer supports Lismore's biodiversity management strategy

CATTLE and agroforestry farmer Paul Hunter says a biodiversity management strategy could benefit the Lismore local government area.

ALL FOR IT: Farmer Paul Hunter agrees with the implementation of a biodiversity management strategy in the Lismore City Council area. Picture: Cathy Adams

CATTLE and agroforestry farmer Paul Hunter says he knows better than most how a biodiversity management strategy could benefit the Lismore local government area.

The Goonellabah resident's farm is located in the Tweed Shire, where that council introduced a vegetation management strategy 11 years ago.

Mr Hunter believes Lismore City Council's proposed biodiversity management strategy would be a win for environmentalists and farmers if it goes ahead after public submissions close on February 24.

• DRAFT BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
• WHAT IT COSTS AND HOW THE SPECIAL RATE VARIATION WOULD WORK
• MORE INFORMATION

"My family and I regard the far North Coast as the green heart of Australia which needs to be cared for and protected for the benefit and enjoyment of our current generation as well as future generations," Mr Hunter said.

"Tweed Shire Council has led the way in running effective landowner/council bio-diversity partnership programs for many years now, including the River Health Grants program, which has been operating since 2006, as well as the Biodiversity Grants program and Land for Wildlife program.

"When implemented, the LCC biodiversity management strategy will see Lismore no longer lagging behind Tweed on the key issue of biodiversity land-owner partnerships and funding of programs crucial to maintaining and improving the environment."

Mr Hunter said he has been successfully working with Tweed Shire Council to repair damage to riparian zones at his farm.

Contrary to critics of the proposed strategy, Mr Hunter believes its goals, including riverbank restoration, increasing urban greenery and co-operative conservation, are well worth a "negligible" rate hike.

"In effect the sums of proposed rate increases are minimal, in fact negligible in terms of the benefits of the outcome," he said.

"The reality of the proposed rate increase is miniscule and far outweighed by any logical cost benefit analysis.

"The average proposed rate increase is of the order of between 50c and $1 per week. That's of the order of 1/6 to 1/3 the price of a cup of coffee."

Mr Hunter said public critics of the strategy had been basing rate hike figures on the maximum possible increase, instead of the average.

If the strategy proceeded, it would be funded with $500,000 annually by way of an ongoing 1.9% special rate variation, starting July 1, 2016.

This means costs would vary for ratepayers depending on which rate category they're in and the NSW Valuer General's land values.