Typically, the techniques used by the best farm managers to improve productivity are correlated with actions that address land and water degradation issues, thus establishing a nexus between land repair, improved production and profit.
To address broader environmental degradation issues, there are a number of programs through which landholders can voluntarily conserve areas of ecological value on their properties. They range from non-binding, temporary agreements to binding agreements that are attached perpetually to the title of the land.
There are other ecosystem values for which incentives are being developed, for example, salinity, carbon sequestration and amenity purposes and often there is a range of these that may be applicable to a particular land area.
This paper overviews some of the existing revolving fund schemes that have been implemented or are currently being tested in Australia, considers the payment of landholders for providing ecosystem services and then provides details on a case study of one type of revolving fund, the Land Repair Fund
