Background on Greenleasing
Also see FATE's common-property
resource paper presented at a conference of the International Association
for the Study of Common Property (IASCP) in June 2006
Greenleasing is an example of an innovative 'commons' approach to achieving
systematic landscape being explored by FATE. Greenleasing, initiated by Lease
of Life P/L, involves the leasing of targeted land from landholders and the
management of it for specific Natural Resource Management (NRM) purposes by
a management group. Greenleasing has its basis in work on common property
resource systems (Williamson
et al 2003) which demonstrates that land can be managed more efficiently
for both production and conservation outcomes if neighbouring landholders
pool their resources and act as a sort of modern-day 'commons'.
At present an unrealistic level of altruism is expected of rural landholders
for public good initiatives and as a result, on-ground action is fragmentary.
Greenleasing is the leasing from landholders of targeted land by an incorporated
not-for-profit body to form a type of commons, and the management of it aimed
at achieving prescribed NRM outcomes by a management group. Landholders can
opt out of management or be contracted to manage the leased land. The funds
for the leasing and management of the Greenleased land will be born by the
broader community through a sponsorship and/or investment program. Sponsors/
investors gain managed access to Greenleased areas for recreation and educational
purposes through the establishment of a hub of facilities. At the end of the
lease period the land can revert back to management by the landholder according
to the Greenleasing management procedures or the lease can be renewed.
Greenleasing may:
- Provide a systematic and comprehensive way of implementing landscape change
by creating a landscape mosaic in which areas under conventional production
are broken up by biodiverse areas. The biodiverse areas can be strategically
located for maximum impact and won't be confined by property boundaries
or by the skills and interests of landholders.
- Provide an equitable means of compensating landholders for loss of land
area for conventional production while not subsidizing poor duty of care.
In so doing it will turn what is perceived to be a negative imposition on
landholders to a positive opportunity for them. Landholders who are enthusiastic
about their role as NR Managers can become involved in the management group.
- Transfer financial and intellectual capital and commercial networking
from urban centres to rural areas, providing an avenue for public good rural
initiatives to be supported by urban capital while freeing up capital held
by farmers and rural landholders. Considerable capital resides in the increasing
wealth of the urban middle and upper income groups who, if provided with
an avenue, may support Greenleasing.
- Be used to facilitate a connection to the land to which many urban Australians
aspire and will improve rural urban dialogue.
- Operate as an initial transition measure to achieve catchment/ regional
native vegetation, biodiversity, water quality, social and economic targets.
The 'commons' created by Greenleasing could continue indefinitely with support
from the participants.
- Provide an opportunity for the development of alternative agricultural
systems based on native species that combine conservation and production.
These systems will challenge the conventional orthodoxy which separates
land for production from land 'locked up' for conservation. We expect that
some Greenleased areas will become commercially viable through commercial
use while others may remain primarily for conservation. In either case landholders
will have been supported in making the transition.
Last Updated 8 December 2006
