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Farm forestry contributing to environment
David Strong is one of 20 landholders across New South Wales involved in a farm forestry pilot program.
Farm, or agro forestry has traditionally had a low profile but farmers are now realising it's beneficial for the environment and the bank balance. Environmental benefits include reducing salt loads and replenishing groundwater.
Funding
The Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) received Australian Government funding for it's Agro Forestry for Ground Water Inception project.
The idea is to provide financial incentives to landholders to establish properly managed forestry plantations across 12 priority areas throughout the Murrumbidgee catchment.
Landholders are provided with up to $1,000 per hectare incentive payment to establish farm forestry to standards nominated by the Murrumbidgee CMA.
Activities
David grows wheat and canola, and produces sheep for wool and fat lambs on his 1,000 hectare property 30 kilometres east of Wagga Wagga in New South Wales
He invested in farm forestry for the ultimate financial and environmental benefits.
”I receive incentives for establishing trees and managing them to ensure they are looked after and that no stock get into the tree lines,” David said.
“I manage pests like rabbits and hares and I prune the trees to produce a growing trunk which will provide a saleable product.” In 30 years David will be able to harvest the trees and keep the profits.
“My view is that I will make a dollar out of it, as I'm using areas of my farm that weren't productive in other ways,” he said.
“It's a way of quarantining some of my income so that it arrives in the distant future without too much loss of productivity.
“It takes me about a day to fence one block and then two days to spray eight hectares. So it's not a bad way to go financially.”
Achievements
David praises the project because it provides landholders with new ideas.
“Farm forestry doesn't have an especially high profile,” he said “And it's not all that common. But it supports you and provides a spring board for you to get into other productive areas.”
“Most of the time farmers see tree planting as an environmental benefit, not a financial one. But some trees can make money.”
“And I'm also glad to be able to increase tree planting to support bird life and other wildlife.”
More Information
- Rob Kuiper, Murrumbidgee CMA Farm forestry officer: (02) 6932 3249 or rob.kuiper@cma.nsw.gov.au
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