Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
Key
site specific
region wide
Demonstrating sustainable farming practices
Seven Landcare sites, of around 100 hectares each, have been set up to demonstrate sustainable land management throughout the Mallee region.
Each site incorporates at least three aspects of sustainable agriculture.
The Mallee Catchment Management Authority is working with the local farming community to demonstrate alternative ways of managing the land, monitoring and evaluating farm production and impacts on the environment, and providing training.
Funding
'Demonstrating sustainable landscape practices' is a sub-project of a larger $480,000 project funded by the Australian and State Governments.
Activities
The local Landcare group has a lead role in planning and managing each site. "Agricultural experts make recommendations to Landcare for the current season, based on results from the previous season," said Cara Brady from the Catchment Management Authority.
This gives Landcare's farmers the opportunity to understand and assess the impact of sustainable land management within the Mallee.
The sites focus on aspects of sustainable land management such as dryland salinity, soil health, soil erosion, weed control, education and identifying knowledge gaps.
"Field walks are conducted at each of the sites throughout the year to update groups on findings and outcomes," said Cara.
Achievements
About 250 people attended seven field days or walks in 2006, and six industry groups and research agencies have been involved with the sites.
"Demonstration sites are important because farmers are reluctant to implement alternative practices on a large scale until they've been shown to be both economically and environmentally sustainable in the Mallee environment," said Cara.
Other benefits of the sites are that they:
- provide the opportunity for community input and participation
- foster stronger relationships between community, industry groups and research agencies
- incorporate a number of projects or sustainable land management issues on the one site
- reduce the number of field days landholders need to attend
- demonstrate improved ways of using soil-water and reducing wind erosion in the Mallee environment
Cara said, "The long-term objective is to provide the farming community with the capacity to achieve a more sustainable farm business, protect unique Mallee ecosystems, reduce dryland salinity and continue improving natural resources for the benefit of our producers and communities."
More information
- Cara Brady, Mallee CMA project officer: (03) 5051 4386 or cara.brady@malleecma.vic.gov.au
- Mallee Catchment Management Authority
See also
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