Brian Baxter

Project Profile

Issues

Brian Baxter, a fourth generation landholder owns and manages “Greenside”, a 693 hectare property at Pipers River, running 600 merino sheep for wool production, 1400 sheep for prime lamb production ,120 angus cattle ,and grows poppys pyretheum lucerne and trees. Brian recognises the unique role the environment plays in the financial and social outcomes of his property.  This is coupled with a vision to implement sustainable farm practices so that future generations can enjoy a viable business balanced with nature.

Project Detail

Tasmanian farmer, Brian Baxter has been nominated for a National Landcare Award for the extensive work he has done in adopting Landcare principles on farm to achieve sustainability.

Brian, a fourth generation landholder  owns and manages “Greenside”, a 693 hectare property at Pipers River, running 600 merino sheep for wool production, 1400 sheep for prime lamb production 120 angus cattle,and grows poppys pyretheum lucerne and trees. Brian recognises the unique role the environment plays in the financial and social outcomes of his property.  This is coupled with a vision to implement sustainable farm practices so that future generations can enjoy a viable business balanced with nature.

Brian is progressively changing his property over to a time controlled grazing system.  This system will allow grazing areas on the property to more fully recover before being re-grazed, providing better long term ground cover and reducing erosion.

Brian has been a significant player in natural resource management (NRM) in the Tamar region for many years. As founding member of the East Tamar Landcare Group, he has been heavily involved in the protection of the environment throughout the Tamar Valley. Leading by example, Brian encourages and inspires others to get involved and change their practices to better protect the environment and to be more sustainable.

Some of the NRM projects that have been undertaken on the farm include the construction of an eight kilometre wallaby fence to increase pasture production, fencing off a section of the Pipers River and removing willows to allow remnant vegetation to regenerate. To improve the water quality and reduce erosion Brian has also fenced off all the creeks and remnant bush. Brian has recently completed a new property management plan with several components including environment, water, soil, financial, cropping and a number of other specific components to provide guidance with each element of the enterprise.

Brian recognises the value that the natural environment plays within the whole catchment and beyond. As part of this commitment, Brian managed an Envirofund project that saw him liaising and working with seven other landholders to implement environmental improvements on their own properties. Brian continues to work with agricultural and environmental specialists to learn and implement new techniques on farm as well as taking part in trials and experiments to further his and the community’s knowledge about farming and environmental management practices.

Brian Baxter is one of 88 finalists in the National Landcare Awards to be announced in Canberra on 24 June 2010. Commencing in 1991, the Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals and groups that make a valuable contribution to the land and coast where they live and work.

Photography

Brian Baxter