Living, Working, and Playing on the Land an Effort to Understand The

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.

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