Fields of wheat as far as the eye could see, and cattle and sheep grazing in fertile paddocks under a hot sun, with a few scattered trees for shade, once evoked an idyllic image of rural Victoria. But our modern agricultural lands are far more diverse, and many farms still retain substantial valuable native vegetation, even though many are intensively cultivated or grazed.

The productivity of these agricultural lands depends very much on the quality of the environment within and around agricultural systems; for example, clean water is essential for the growth of crops and watering of stock, and invertebrates and other animals perform many useful functions in nutrient recycling and soil stability. In some agricultural areas the remnants of the natural landscape are reduced to roadsides and streamsides and other relatively small areas of public land. These areas are increasingly having their conservation values restored or enhanced, particularly by landowners working with their neighbours.

Although some species have been lost, others have adapted to these radically changed environments. Occasionally, rare fauna such as Blue-bonnets, Grey-crowned Babblers, Eltham Copper Butterflies and Legless Lizards survive where their critical habitat components have been maintained. These areas are also valuable habitat for sedentary species and for migratory or nomadic species such as some honeyeaters. In some parts of the extensively cropped cereal areas, stubble may provide habitat for a range of quail species, and farm dams can provide habitat for many waterbirds, particularly if the surrounds are vegetated.

In south-western Victoria, some landholders manage their properties to attract Brolgas to their wetlands. In many areas the daily and seasonal cycles can be heard in the landscape: Magpies and Kookaburras in the morning, ravens and cockatoos during the day, and Willie Wagtails and Masked Lapwings often calling long into the night. Biodiversity in these landscapes needs active management. Some populations of native fauna may become out of balance, so that there is a need to protect the long-term viability of the population and ameliorate damage these animals may cause.

This is evident in some agricultural landscapes but also in reserves that are being restored after a history of pastoralism. The recognition of significant catchment management problems, such as salination and algal blooms, has brought a new awareness of the need for a balance between resource development and biodiversity conservation.

Native vegetation that remains in these landscapes is also increasingly valued for its aesthetic and cultural values. But some types of native vegetation, such as native grasslands, could be an economic advantage in whole-farm management, and old trees on farms provide habitat for a range of species, including some that are beneficial for pest control. The community efforts over recent years in Landcare, Land for Wildlife and similar programs have produced significant gains for our biodiversity.