One of the most enjoyable and inspiring aspects of my job is discovering innovative farmers who are creating new ways to work with their land.

One of these people is Narrandera farmer, Graham Strong, who last year gave a paper at a Tasmanian conference on balancing conservation and production.

In his paper, Regenerative agriculture: the case for dialogue with natural systems, Graham said: "Real, lasting, long term quality conservation and production outcomes in rural landscapes require long term commitment from people who live there.

"From people who know the land, from people who love the land, have joyous memories of growing up in that country.

"Putting clinical terms and definitions on country such as ‘Natural Resource Management’ discourage a personal relationship with the land."

After the 1994-95 drought, Graham and his parents realised the answer to sustaining their land "lay right in front of us, in the spirit of the country itself".

They began to think about their farm "as a living being with personality, history and a life in its own right, and not merely a natural resource to be mined.

"We questioned deeply the assumption that loss of biodiversity was a necessary if not an unfortunate compromise in the quest for increased production and efficiency.’"

The Strongs became members of the local Field Naturalist club and learnt a great deal about local reptiles, birds, fungi and plants.

"We looked for anything that distinguished our land from being simply referable as a production unit," Graham said.

"Whatever that was, we nurtured it.

"If we found people who liked visiting the farm, we encouraged them to come again.

"We got into tree planting, changed our farming practices and looked for social opportunities that brought land and people closer together."

A decade on, the Strong family has planted more than 250,000 trees and 120 hectares of saltbush for year round grazing, increasing tree and shrub cover from two per cent to 12pc.

They retain stubble, don’t use insecticides or fungicides on crops, have improved stock health, wool production and wool quality.

They have encouraged people onto their land through tree planting weekends, farm visits, field days and farm stays.

They are also part of the Willing Workers on Organic Farms scheme, hosting travellers in exchange for on farm work.

Graham Strong says inviting more people on to their land is very important.

"My message to farmers is to seek and surround yourselves with positive, creative supportive people from as many walks of life as possible.

"How one locates these people might be a good creativity exercise in itself.

"If you can’t see through a problem, seek help.

"Do not waste your time on cynics or people who tell you it can’t be done.

"And finally," he said, "remember that everything starts with biodiversity, trees make soil, and nurturing a personal relationship with country is what keeps us here".

To obtain a copy of Graham’s paper contact him via the Strong family’s website www.saltbush-heaven.com

You can find out more about the Tasmanian conference and forthcoming book of case studies at www.tamar-nrm.org.au