A regional knowledge hub aimed at helping North Coast landholders and professionals understand and engage with natural capital and emerging environmental markets has been launched.
Tree Farmer brings together practical information, expert insights and learning opportunities to support people across the region to explore nature repair, tree growing and environmental markets.
Developed by the Subtropical Farm Forestry Association (SFFA), the hub is intended to clarify the fast-evolving environmental markets landscape and support local participation in ways that benefit both the environment and regional livelihoods.
Tree Farmer provides a central point for North Coast landholders, farmers, environmental professionals and community organisations to access 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 the platform responded to growing demand for reliable information about environmental markets and the potential for the North Coast to shape local approaches.
“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 hub includes articles, videos, research and resources focused on environmental markets, tree growing and nature repair across the North Coast.
As part of the launch, a limited number of free online courses and workshops are being offered to people living and working in the Northern Rivers. Delivered in partnership with the Centre for Community Capital, the courses aim to provide practical foundations and opportunities for collaboration.
Natural capital and environmental markets practitioner Meaghan Burkett, who is facilitating the program, said building local knowledge and capability would be critical as the sector develops.
“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.”
The program combines self-paced online learning with workshops and peer-to-peer engagement, allowing participants to explore how environmental markets could apply to the North Coast’s landscapes and communities, as well as future opportunities for local market development.
Landholders are also invited to complete a short Environmental Markets Stakeholder Survey, with participants going into a draw to win a book prize pack from the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy. Insights from the survey will inform future resources, training and collaboration through the 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.
NCRLN regional projects operations manager Bridget Kent said the initiative would help build regional capacity and support informed participation in emerging environmental markets.
“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 visit the website and register interest in upcoming courses, as well as complete the stakeholder survey.
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