Kiama Local Government Area Living, Working, and Playing on the Land Survey An effort to understand the issues important to rural landowners in the Kiama Local Government Area
To be completed by a person who is in charge of household decisions School of Earth and Environmental Science University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 “Living, Working, and Playing on the Land”
Dear Sir/Madam: Winter 2009
Project description
The rural Illawarra is being transformed. New landowners, pressures on agriculture, the needs of farming families, and environmental issues present both opportunities and challenges. But with an increasing diversity of landowners, with sometimes varying visions of rural life, what is the best way forward? What motivates landowners to live on and use rural land? And how are their activities shaping current and future livelihoods and environments? How should citizens of the region make the most informed decisions about what they want from government and from each other? This survey and the research project, Living, Working, and Playing on the Land, is one important way. Your participation in this study communicates what matters to you and how you want to live and work in the Kiama LGA.
Please enjoy a cup of tea (see enclosed) while you take 25 minutes to complete the survey
Key questions you may have
1. Who is conducting the study?
Researchers at the GeoQuEST Research Centre at the University of Wollongong.
2. What are the aims of the research and how will I benefit?
The survey explores what landowners think about rural life and what they do on their land. This information is important for many issues, including weed management, livelihoods, and the future of agriculture. By producing a better understanding of how people live, work, and play on their land the study will also help identify the kinds of community services that best match the values of rural landowners.
3. What is my role?
A person who is in charge of household decisions completes the survey. Please complete the survey and return it to the researchers at the University in the enclosed postage paid envelope as soon as possible, preferably within a week.
4. Who will see my answers?
Your answers will remain anonymous. Overall results will be used in academic publications, in a publically available summary report and in Kiama Council’s State of the Environment Report. The information you supply will be kept strictly confidential and stored in a restricted area at the University of Wollongong. It will be destroyed after five years. Please contact the research team if you would like a summary of the study results.
5. How did you get my address and what is Council’s role in the survey?
Kiama Council agreed to facilitate the research by mailing the survey on behalf of the researchers. The research team does not have access to your address. Council will not have access to your survey answers. It will receive only summary results.
6. Do I have to participate?
As a volunteer participant, you can choose to opt out of this study at any time. If you have any questions you can contact Nicholas Gill of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences via email ([email protected]) or phone (02 4221 4165). If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant or concerns about how this research has been conducted please contact the Ethics Officer (Human Research Ethics Committee), University of Wollongong ( 02 4221 4457).
1 “Living, Working, and Playing on the Land”
SURVEY
Rural life and community
Q1. Indicate the main reasons you own rural land in the Kiama LGA. (please tick ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for each reason)
I own rural land in the Kiama LGA because… Yes No
… it provides the lifestyle I want … it represents a financial investment … my family has lived here all my life … recreational opportunities are accessible … I earn my living from the land … I enjoy being part of a rural community … it is a great place to raise a family … I want to be close to nature … I want to contribute to restoring and protecting the environment … it provides privacy for my family or myself … it provides me a sense of accomplishment to maintain and use agricultural land … it provides a place where I can pursue my interests away from others
Please circle the most important reason to you
Q2. Have you attended a local community event in the Kiama LGA in the past six months (such as a church or school event, craft exhibition, bushcare project)?
Never Once Two or three times More than three times
Q3. Have you visited a neighbour’s home in the past week?
No Once Two or three times More than three times
Q4. How often do you do volunteer work for a local group or club?
Never Rarely Once a month More than once a month
Q5. Owning rural land in the Kiama LGA has brought me into contact with types of people with whom I have not interacted before.
Yes No
2 Q6. Do you work with other people in managing your land?
Yes No
If yes, with whom have you had significant contact (please tick all that apply)
Neighbours Industry or production group Small Farms Network Group such as Landcare, Rivercare, or Bushcare Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Friend or family Conservation Volunteers Australia State government (such as Department of Primary Industries) Local Council Rural supply store Contractor Other (please specify): ______
If you tick more than one, please circle the most important contact to you
Activities on your Land
Q7. What are the main things you produced or did on your property in the 2008-2009 financial year? (please tick all boxes that apply and if applicable provide the number of animals, total area in production, and the estimated total value of production for that year) No. of Area Estimated Value Products Animals (hectares) of Production (dollars) Dairy Beef cattle Horses Pigs Pasture for sileage/hay NA Orchard trees NA Vegetables NA Flowers NA Cereal/fodder crops NA Farm Forestry/Timber NA Planted or restored native vegetation NA NA Unused/fallow NA NA Other (specify): _
3 Q8. I would be interested in growing vegetables or crops for sale.
Yes No I already grow vegetables or crops for sale
Q9. What best describes the role of your rural land? (please tick one box)
Production from my land serves as the primary source of income for my household. Production from my land provides a significant secondary source of income for my household. Production from my land provides a minor source of income for my household. Production from my land generates no income for my household.
Q10. What best describes how your rural land is used? (please tick one box)
My land is used primarily for the conservation of native plants and animals. My land is used primarily for recreation or as a rural retreat. My land is used primarily for earning a living. Other (please specify): _ _
Q11. Do you rent land to anyone or from anyone? (if applicable, tick both ‘yes’ options) Yes, I rent land to someone else Yes, I rent land from someone else No
If yes, i. For what use? Rent to: _ _ Rent from: ______
ii. What is the land area (ha) that you rent? To: _ __ __ From: ______
iii. Please answer whether each of the statements below apply to you:
The rental agreement is formal and involves monetary payment. Yes No
The rental agreement is informal, such as in-kind payment (for example, pasture or fence maintenance). Yes No
Q12. Do you hire labour to work on your rural property?
Yes No If yes, for how many days per year do you hire labour? __ __
For what activities do you hire labour (please list top three)?
i. ______ii. ______iii. ______
4 Q13. I undertake agricultural and grazing activities on my land.
Yes No
If yes, I undertake these activities for the following reasons (please tick all that apply)
Agricultural and grazing activities… …provide me a source of income or profit …get me in touch with farming …defray land ownership costs …hold an aesthetic appeal for me …provide tax/rate benefits …help to keep me busy …provide learning and recreational …help to maintain the landscape opportunities for kids/grandkids/visitors (such as cattle as ‘lawn mowers’)
If you tick more than one, please circle the most important reason to you
If no, my land is suitable for the following commercial activities. (please tick all that apply)
Grazing Horticulture/crops/orchards My land is not suitable for these activities I do not know
Q14. Does your property contain weeds that are a problem for you in any way?
Yes No If yes, list the top three weeds in order of importance to you:
i. ______ii. ______iii. ______
Q15. Please estimate to the nearest 100 meters the length of fencing for the purposes listed below that you’ve built on your property in the Kiama LGA since you acquired it? Estimate of Total Length Action since property acquired (to nearest 100 m) Fencing primarily to protect water courses Fencing primarily for grazing management Fencing primarily to protect native vegetation Fencing primarily for property boundaries
5 Q16. What activities have occurred on your rural land in the Kiama LGA since you acquired it? (please tick all boxes that apply and estimate the number of full days that you spent undertaking the activity over the last year).
Activities Undertaken Since Land Acquired Full days in the last year
Improving soil/fertilizing/planting legumes Weeding/weed management Pasture maintenance (e.g., mowing, slashing, harrowing) Walking/bushwalking Planting in the garden Planting native trees/plants outside of the garden Planting perennial pasture Motor biking Horse riding Hunting Other (specify): ______
Q17. Do you seek advice before planting non-commercial trees or plants?
Yes No
If yes, please tick all the sources of advice that apply.
Rural supply store State government (e.g. DPI) Nurseries Weeds officers Neighbours Garden clubs Industry or production group Southern Rivers CMA Council Replicate what comes up/grows locally Small Farms Network Books, magazines, internet Groups such as Landcare Contractor Friend or family Other (specify): ______
If you tick more than one, please circle the most important source to you
Q18. For my property I have sought expert advice and generated the following types of plans (tick all boxes that apply)
Types of Management Activity Sought expert advice? Generated a plan? Whole of property Yes No Yes No Grazing or agriculture Yes No Yes No Business Yes No Yes No Bushfire Yes No Yes No Climate change adaptation Yes No Yes No Vegetation/conservation Yes No Yes No
6 Q19. What actions have occurred on your rural property in the last 3 years? (please tick all that apply) Soil testing for nutrient monitoring/application Water quality testing Cooperative land use or management with Planted non-native vegetation outside the neighbours garden Weed management with a group or Weed management undertaken privately organisation Feral animal control with a group or Feral animal control undertaken privately organisation Reduced native vegetation cover, including Received/spent grant money on understorey, by any means environmental or agricultural projects Considered changing or have changed land Implementation of ideas/techniques gained management/use due to climate change from a course/field day/training program Tried to control or prevent soil erosion Undertaken a flora and fauna assessment
Q20. I undertake activities to control weeds.
Yes if you answer ‘yes’ then go to parts (A), (B), and (C) [if ‘no’ to (B)] No if you answer ‘no’ then go to part (C)
(A) If yes, then please respond to this statement: I undertake activities to control weeds for the following reasons (please tick all that apply)
I take activities to control weeds… …to comply with the law …to maintain agricultural production …because I don’t like the look of them …to protect environmental or conservation values …to be a good neighbour …Other (please specify): ______
If you tick more than one, please circle the most important reason to you
(B) If yes, do you spend as much time on controlling weeds as you would like to? Yes No
(C) If no, what factors explain why? (please tick all that apply)
Money My age/health I have no incentive to control weeds I don’t have time The property is not my primary There is a lack of local experts residence available to offer me advice I lack the necessary equipment The weeds problem is too overwhelming to be fixed
I don’t have enough experience with Other (please specify): weed identification ______
If you tick more than one, please circle the most important factor to you
7 Q21. What sources of fresh water do you have on your rural property and for what do you use the water? (please tick all that apply)
Drinking Fire Source of Water Water Agriculture fighting Town water supply Bore Well River Rainwater tank Dam Other (specify): ______
Details about your rural property
Q22. How long has your household owned rural land in the Kiama LGA?
______years
Q23. What is the total area (ha) of your rural land in Kiama LGA?
______hectares
Q24. In which locality in the Kiama LGA is your rural land located? Please tick one. (If you own more than one block, tick the locality where all or most of your land is located)
Barren Grounds Bombo Brogers Creek Broughton Village Budderoo Carrington Falls Croom Curramore Foxground Gerringong Gerroa Jamberoo Jerrara Kiama Kiama Downs Kiama Heights Knights Hill Minnamurra Rose Valley Saddleback Mountain Toolijooa Upper Kangaroo Valley Upper Kangaroo Valley Willow Vale Yellow Rock
Q25. Is your primary residence on your rural property?
Yes No If no, what is the postcode of your primary residence? ______
Q26. Do you live full time on your property?
Yes No
If no, please estimate how many weeks per year you spend on your rural property.
______
8
Prospects for the future
Q27. Are there burdens or challenges in living on your land that might lead you to sell it in the next five years?
Yes No
If yes, what factors would lead you to sell? (Please tick all that apply)
Job pressures Burden of weeding Cost of living Burden of maintaining the property Council rates Too many people Physical isolation Lack of community Travel time in car Age/health Bushfire threat Other (please specify): ______
If you tick more than one, please circle the most important factor to you
Q28. In the future would you be prepared to…
a) participate in a food/wine/culture trail in the Kiama LGA?
Yes No
b) sell any produce from your land at your farm gate and/or to a local retailer or stallholder?
Yes No
c) link any underutilized land you may have with that of other landholders in some form of lease or cooperative arrangement for agriculture or grazing?
Yes No
Details about you and your household
Q29. Sex
Male Female
Q30. What is your age? ______
9 Q31. Prior to owning your current property in the Kiama LGA did you have previous experience in owning and/or managing rural land?
Yes No
Q32. Does your post-school education at Uni/College/TAFE include training in any form of natural resource management?
Yes No
Q33. Have you undertaken training or courses in any aspect of agriculture, natural resource management, or farm business?
Yes No
Q34. Which of the following best describes your current employment status?
Employed full time Full time student Employed part time Part time student Self employed Home duties Unemployed Retired/pensioner
Q35. If you are in paid employment, what is your main occupation?
______
Q36. If applicable, what is the main occupation of your spouse/partner?
______
Q37. How many individuals, under the age of 18 are living in your household?
______
Q38. On average what was the combined monthly income of the owners of your land for the financial year 2008-2009? ______
10 Thank you for completing this survey!
Speaking with a subset of survey respondents will tremendously enhance our understanding of rural landowners’ perspectives. If you are willing to participate in a follow-up conversation please tick the box and write your contact details in the space below or contact us directly.
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Email:
I am willing to be contacted regarding a possible follow- up conversation.
Nicholas Gill GeoQuEST Research Centre School of Earth and Environmental Science University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 Phone: 02 4221 4165 | Fax: 02 4221 4250 | Email: [email protected]