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Overview Caring for our Country Project 2009 - 2013 ‘Perennial farming systems targeting wind erosion within the North Eastern and Southern Wheatbelt regions of WA’
This four-year project aims to provide landholders with a range of innovative opportunities to reduce soil loss through wind erosion and water erosion, improve practices that increase carbon content in soils and reduce land degradation risks. Saltbush, Oil Mallee, Brushwood, Casuarina obesa, Sandalwood host seedlings and/or perennial pastures including Lucerne will be made available to participating landholders. These species can be successfully integrated into farming systems to combat wind erosion and secondary salinity and to improve soil health, enterprise diversity and water management. However, as the focus of the project is Wind Erosion, these species will be planted in wind breaks, alley farming systems and through improved perennial pasture systems. Caring for our Country (CfoC) is an Australian Government initiative that provides over $2billion in funding for natural resource management, and seeks an environment that is healthy, well protected and effectively managed. SEAVROC, NEWROC and WEROC NRM Groups have secured CfoC funding for this project to aid farming communities in the North Eastern, Eastern and Southern regions of the WA Wheatbelt to maintain economic viability and create resilient farming systems.
Trials in the ROC regions - in partnership with the FFI CRC FFI CRC will collaborate with NRM groups in WEROC, NEWROC and SEAVROC to undertake developmental research to promote the use of shrubs and woody perennials in the low and medium rainfall Central Wheatbelt of WA. The trials outlined are proposed to be implemented as long term trials and will be continued following the initial timeframe proposed in this application to a 3 year trial period. The activity will involve establishing 3 focus sites for the trial areas covering a rainfall transect from medium to low rainfall (Quairading, Bruce Rock and Mukinbudin). Each site would consist of 2 sub-sites, covering shrubs for forage production (six representative Australian native species including saltbush) and a woody perennial trial site (comparing seeding techniques). The forage shrubs will be established to demonstrate their adaptation to the target environments as well as the plant attributes that might provide economic drivers for adoption (forage production, secondary plant compounds etc). The proposed species to be included in the trial are:
Measurements including gut function response to species, animal preference, grazing pressures and palatability of all species will be determined. The second component of the trial plans to assess different seeding techniques of woody perennials that have a number of industry outputs, these are Brushwood, sandalwood [host], saltbush species and Casuarina obesa. The woody perennials trials will demonstrate differences in establishment of seedlings compared to direct seeding techniques (both mounded and uncultivated soil. This would demonstrate the success factors, costs and risk associated with the two approaches recognising that seedling establishment involves high inputs and costs which could be a constraint to wide scale adoption. Proposed Trial design for Woody Species trial : Treatments (2ha plots for all treatments): - Seedling establishment - Direct seeding – mounded - Direct seeding – uncultivated and not mounded A number of extension activities will be conducted during the trials timeline to promote the results and aims of the trials. These activities include annual field walks, community presentations and local newspaper updates. The link with the FFI CRC Saltland Pastures Association and WNRM will allow the results of the work to be publicised more widely in publications such as Focus on Perennials and Saltland Pastures magazines. The trials will be implemented by July 2010 and the first year analysis will be compiled by the end of September 2010. As discussed, the trials will continue beyond this initial year and all results and extension strategies will be available to project partners and local growers.
May Update Introducing What Perennial Where? The very first publication to come out of the Caring For Our Country Wind Erosion Project! This ‘ute friendly’ guide aims to assist landholders to determine the most suitable perennial species for a specific area on a property by linking soil types to landscape position and rainfall. What Perennial Where? is available now from local Shires within WEROC, NEWROC and SEAVROC. Or click here for a downloadable copy
March 2010 Update A high number of application forms were received from landholders throughout the NEWROC, WEROC and SEAVROC Council areas. Due to the quality and quantity of applications received, each application was assessed against strict selection criteria that was set out in the original Expression of Interest. The Project Team was delighted to note that many applications received were from landholders who had not participated in such a project before. Letters have been sent to all landholders notifiying them of the outcome of their application and if they have been allocated seedlings for this years planting season. Project Officers within each ‘ROC’ will be contacting landholders receiving seedlings during March to organise site visits. The site visit will involve an assessment of the proposed area of planting, planting design and species selected to ensure the most successful outcome for wind erosion is achieved. Field Days will be held in each ‘ROC’ in April this year. These Field Days are aimed at landholders that would like to learn about the basics of tree cropping for their farm. Keep an eye out for Field Day advertisements in your local press.
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