Step into the future of environmental collaboration with the Rural Landholder Initiative, Council's flagship program. Since 2015, this pioneering effort has driven 218 projects, planted 50,000 trees, and managed 360 hectares of vital land, fostering active community engagement and emerging leaders.
The initiative offers annual grants to rural landholders, providing resources and labour for on-ground projects that protect and enhance critical areas like koala habitats, riverbanks, and remnant vegetation. Successful projects are distinguished by careful planning, community consultation, and strong landholder commitment.
Join us in driving environmental progress, where innovation and community action create a greener, sustainable future.
To be eligible, you must meet the criteria outlined in the RLI Policies and Guidelines:
- Only landholders within the Lismore LGA can apply.
- All landholders involved in a group application must be current on rate payments to Lismore City Council.
- Projects focused solely on beautification or amenity improvements without significant environmental outcomes are not eligible.
- Projects tied to development consent conditions are not eligible.
- An equal cash or in-kind contribution is required.
- Successful applicants must agree to maintain the project site beyond the funding period.
We strongly recommend preparing a written project plan. Projects with ongoing, well-documented efforts have a higher chance of receiving funding.
Examples of simple project plans are available in our Additional resources section of this page.
Last year we held two highly successful workshops as part of the Rural Landholder Initiative.
At Goolmangar Hall, Stuart Andrews led an engaging session on Landscape Hydration principles, drawing a large crowd and sparking lively discussions that continued well past the scheduled end time.
Our Koonorigan event focused on managing koala habitat, attracting enthusiastic landowners eager to learn. The day was further enriched by a walk-through a nearby Rural Landholder Initiative property, showcasing practical steps for habitat improvement.
Keep an eye on our website for updates on upcoming events!
Lismore City Council offers free field days for rural landholders that focus on practical land management techniques, such as managing environmental weeds, restoring waterways, and protecting threatened species habitats.
The field days provide an opportunity for landholders to network, share experiences and learn from land management leaders.
Below is a series of short videos from some of our previous field days highlighting a range of interesting topics:
Goolmangar Workshop and Field Day - Landscape Hydration
Georgica Field Day – Rural Lifestyle and Biodiversity
Whian Whian Field Day – Mixed Orchards and Biodiversity
Coraki Field Day – Floodplain Cropping and Biodiversity
Boatharbour Field Day – Grazing and Biodiversity in our Water Catchments
High Conservation Value (HCV) is an area of land that supports important species, populations, habitats, or communities.
The Biodiversity Management Strategy identifies criteria for determining HCV areas, such as land containing threatened species or populations, key habitats for threatened fauna and flora, endangered ecological communities, priority vertebrate assemblages, koala habitat, rainforest, old growth forest, native riparian vegetation, wetland and estuarine vegetation, and very high priority wildlife corridors.
Council's Environmental Officers can provide more details and the HCV areas can be viewed on Council's online mapping tool.
The floodplains of the Richmond River are a priority to protect and enhance through weed management, revegetation, erosion control and habitat improvement. Retaining, rehabilitating and conserving existing native floodplain vegetation on riverbanks and wetlands is encouraged.
Fencing for stock exclusion and off stream watering in sensitive riparian areas and wetlands on the floodplain may be eligible for increased funding of $2500 where it is undertaken with habitat restoration actions and a successful Rural Landholder Initiative project.
Restoration activities on the floodplains are informed by the Coastal Zone Management Plan. This is a catchment-wide initiative.
- Property Planning - the Big Picture(PDF, 634KB)
- Template - Site Action Plan(PDF, 575KB)
- Template - Site Action Plan (Simple One Pager)(PDF, 336KB)
- Template - Property and Site Action Plan(PDF, 320KB)
- Site Action Plan Guidelines (Bush Futures)(PDF, 547KB)
- Example - Farm Plan (production based)(PDF, 250KB)
- Example - Maintenance Plan(PDF, 4MB)
- Example - Draft Roseberry Creek Quarry Plan(PDF, 2MB)
- Fact sheet - Easy Steps Towards a Property Plan(PDF, 448KB)
- Fact sheet - Governing Policy in Rural Areas (Byron Shire Council)(PDF, 872KB)
- Native Vegetation Plantings (RRCC)(PDF, 282KB)
- Revegetation Guide for Subtropical Forest(PDF, 2MB)
- Revegetating Streams in the Richmond Catchment - a Guide to Species and Planting Methods(PDF, 1MB)
Websites
The Farm Health Assessment Tool
The Farm Health Assessment Tool is a self-assessment tool for land management practices and suggested pathways for improvement. These four booklets address land management issues for major industries.