Can Local Communities Shape the Future of Environmental Markets?

Tree Farmer Launch Event

Growing the Future: Tree Farmer Launches Knowledge Hub for North Coast Landholders

A new regional initiative is putting the power of environmental knowledge back into local hands.

Tree Farmer, a newly launched online platform, is designed to help North Coast landholders, farmers and environmental professionals better understand and engage with the rapidly evolving world of natural capital and environmental markets. Bringing together practical tools, expert insights and locally relevant learning opportunities, the hub aims to support informed decision-making while opening the door to new possibilities for land use, regeneration and income.

Developed by the Subtropical Farm Forestry Association (SFFA), Tree Farmer responds to a growing need for clear, accessible information in a space that can often feel complex and difficult to navigate. At its core, the platform is about connection: linking people to knowledge, to each other and to the future of their landscapes.

Project lead and Byron Shire farmer Dr Joe Harvey-Jones said the idea for Tree Farmer came directly from conversations happening across the region.

“Environmental markets are evolving quickly in Australia, but the information can often be complex and difficult to navigate. Tree Farmer has been created to provide practical, locally relevant knowledge that helps people understand the opportunities and challenges. Our goal is to empower North Coast landholders to make informed decisions about their land, their trees and the future of their landscapes.”

The platform offers a centralised hub of articles, videos, research and resources, all tailored to the North Coast context. It also creates space for collaboration, giving landholders and professionals the opportunity to connect, share insights and explore how environmental markets might take shape locally.

A new North Coast initiative is helping landholders cut through the complexity of environmental markets and take an active role in shaping the future of their land.

As part of the launch, Tree Farmer is offering a limited number of free online courses and workshops for people living and working in the Northern Rivers. Delivered in partnership with the Centre for Community Capital, the program combines self-paced learning with interactive workshops and peer-to-peer exchange.

Natural capital and environmental markets specialist Meaghan Burkett, who is facilitating the learning program, said building local capability is key to ensuring these emerging systems work for the region.

“Natural capital and environmental markets are becoming an increasingly important part of how we value and invest in nature. These courses are designed to make the concepts clear and practical, and to relate them to the North Coast context so landholders and professionals can understand how these systems work, what they might mean for their land and work, and ways they can help shape and influence how these markets develop locally.”

Participants will have the chance to explore how environmental markets intersect with the unique landscapes of the North Coast, from tree growing and biodiversity to broader nature repair initiatives, while also considering future opportunities for locally driven markets.

The project is supported by the North Coast Regional Landcare Network (NCRLN) through the Caring for Catchments program, which focuses on strengthening environmental outcomes and collaboration across the region.

NCRLN Regional Projects Operations Manager Bridget Kent said initiatives like Tree Farmer play an important role in bridging knowledge gaps.

“Projects like Tree Farmer play an important role in helping local communities understand complex environmental systems and opportunities. By bringing together knowledge, training and collaboration, the knowledge hub supports landholders and organisations across the North Coast to engage with environmental markets in ways that benefit both landscapes and communities.”

To help shape the future of the platform, landholders are invited to take part in an Environmental Markets Stakeholder Survey, with participants going into the draw to win a book prize pack from the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy. Insights gathered will guide future resources, training and collaboration opportunities.

As environmental markets continue to evolve, Tree Farmer positions the North Coast not just as a participant, but as a region with the potential to help define how these systems work - locally, sustainably and on its own terms.

Explore the platform, register for upcoming courses or take the survey at www.treefarmer.au