The Federal Government is out to lock up a whopping 31 million hectares across Australia over the next five years as part of a new conservation drive, which will increase the size of the national reserve system by 25pc for the sake of threatened species and biodiversity.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Environment Minister Peter Garrett are going to hit the market looking for prime pieces of conservation real estate.
They will also team up with farmers, indigenous groups and conservation companies to buy land jointly, or pay land managers to conserve specially identified pastoral and remote areas for the environment.
Despite being touted the food bowl of Asia, northern Australia is high on the Government's conservation radar with Mr Garrett adamant vast tracts of the area will be pursued to meet the new conservation targets.
Farm lobby groups have not made a lot of noise about the proposal, instead calling for more detail from the Government about the impacts this might have on agricultural production and guarantees the new super-sized reserve estate won't become a haven for weeds, pests and feral animals.
However, Opposition spokesman for natural resources, Fiona Nash, said the Government needs to come clean on how it reached this 25pc figure, what consultation was done with farmers, and whether any consideration has been given to the potential impact of this drive on food security.
Mr Garrett said it was too early to say how much existing farmland would be targeted or offered up by farmers for the scheme.
* Extract from a special report in selected Fairfax Media rural weekly newspapers, including The Land, NSW, Queensland Country Life, and Stock & Land, Vic, October 16 editions.
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