Survey findings to help tailor the programs provided by Western LLS
Have your say on what the biggest issues are confronting your enterprise
Landholders in the Western LLS region have a great opportunity to articulate how much pest animals such as wild dogs and drought impact on their enterprise through the Regional Landholder survey.
The survey, which is run every three years by Western LLS, focuses on a wide range of topics and issues, with answers to inform Western LLS of what programs and projects are of most importance, as well as identify regional trends.
The survey is far more encompassing than pest animals and drought, with landholders having the opportunity to have input into all areas of farming, local communities, Western NSW and Western LLS as an organisation.
With just under three weeks to return the completed surveys or complete them online, landholders are being encouraged to have their say, knowing the results will have a direct influence on the services and programs offered by Western LLS in their community in the years to come.
How do I complete the survey?
Landholders can complete the survey they received in the mail in October and return it via the reply-paid envelope. Otherwise, they can complete it online.
As an appreciation, for every completed and returned survey, $20 will be donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service on behalf of the landholder. Additionally for those that complete the survey online, they will go into a draw to win a cash prize.
Is there a specific survey for the Aboriginal community?
Yes, Western LLS is concurrently running a survey targeting the Aboriginal community in the Western LLS region. This survey is being conducted within the community by Western LLS staff members, while the Aboriginal community can also complete this survey online.
What topics and covered and what will the results tell us?
The surveys have been designed to provide key insights into landholder views, expectations, production issues and capacity. Topics covered include:
property and landholder characteristics
group involvement
training and property management
services desired by landholders
cultural heritage on property
business styles
enterprise change and development
land uses on property and practices (cropping, horticulture, livestock enterprises)
enterprise production and profitability
grazing production
land management issues and capacity to deal with them (invasive native scrub, weeds, groundcover, climate change, erosion, wild dogs, pest animals, water, total grazing pressure)
satisfaction with Western LLS
awareness of Western LLS
The information gained will be invaluable as a planning tool as it gives an insight into the industries that are emerging, those that are holding firm and those that are no longer as prominent as they once were.
Has Western LLS run this survey before?
Yes, Western LLS has run this survey before in 2014 and 2017. Each survey has some slight changes in questions and format, however they remain similar enough so the answers can be compared which gives an indication of what issues are emerging and identify regional trends.
What were some of the findings from 2017?
The results from the survey held in 2017 provided a fascinating snapshot of life on the land in Western NSW.
the average property size was 10,500 hectares
the three most common property uses were sheep production for wool (48 per cent), sheep production for meat (41 per cent) and cattle production (36 per cent)
the top land management issues were pest and other animals (84 per cent), invasive native scrub (59 per cent) and low groundcover (50 per cent)
thirty-one percent of landholders harvested goats while 18 per cent undertook dryland cropping and six per cent had undertaken horticulture activities
seventy-four per cent of survey respondents knew who the Traditional Owners were of the Country on which they lived
in addition, 93 per cent of people surveyed also indicated that they knew of Aboriginal sites in their local area
The results from this year's survey will be compared with the findings from the 2014 and 2017 survey to evaluate the emerging industries, issues and so forth for landholders heading into 2021 and beyond.
To find out more...
Thanks for reading this newsletter on the Regional Landholder and Aboriginal Community survey. If you have any questions please contact the survey project officer, Silvana Keating on 0427 661 264 or silvana.keating@lls.nsw.gov.au, or Western LLS by completing an online enquiry form or calling 1300 795 299.
We welcome your feedback about this newsletter. Please feel free to pass it on to anyone you think may be interested. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, subscribe here.
Western Local Land Services
Web: www.lls.nsw.gov.au/western
Freecall: 1300 795 299
