Hallston Landcare Group – Strzelecki Sustainable & Productive Pastures
Project Profile
| Name of Project | Strzelecki Sustainable & Productive Pastures |
| Name of group(s) involved | Hallston Landcare Group |
| Time frame | April 2008 – March 2009 |
| Location | Hallston, South Gippsland |
| State | Victoria |
| NRM Region | West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority – West Tarwin River Region |
| What industry does the group belong to? | Beef production |
| Corporate Partners involved | Woolworths |
| Level of Funding from LAL | $2549 |
| Funding from other sources | $1958 |
Issues
The Hallston Landcare Group has been active in assisting farmers to reduce soil loss and better manage north facing slopes on the drier areas of South Gippsland hill country.
After three years of drought, pastures on the steeper north facing slopes of the Strzelecki Ranges had suffered from major ground cover loss of its traditional productive pasture species, resulting in major exposure to soil loss and reduced production.
With the assistance of a Woolworths Sustainable Farming grant in conjunction with Landcare Australia Limited, the group has engaged with local agencies to trial pasture establishment methods that have demonstrated better production outcomes and reduced environmental impacts on north facing slopes.
The trials of Cocksfoot and Phalaris establishment techniques have shown farmers what works and doesn’t work on similar sites and provided alternative management options for future dry periods. They have noted improvement in rainfall utilisation and soil health through maintaining a more vigorous and sustainable ground cover and root structure.
The Strzelecki Sustainable & Productive Pastures trial generated information and enthusiasm to change from the local practice of using Rye grasses for all areas of the farm to considering species that are more suited to the drier, more exposed north facing slopes.
The project site has since become part of a wider soil/pasture management project and the subject of numerous additional field days.
Project Detail
| Background to Project | Hallston Landcare Group was formed in 1989 and aims to promote sustainable agricultural production to all landowners including foresters.
Over the 6 years previous to 2008, rainfall was well below normal in South Gippsland. Pastures on the steeper north facing slopes of the Strzelecki Ranges had suffered from major ground cover loss of traditional productive pasture species resulting in exposure to soil loss and reduced production.
The Tarwin River West Sub-catchment has been identified in the West Gippsland Soil and Erosion Management Plan as having the largest area and highest risk of erosion and has the highest priority for remediation works.
The Landcare group partnered with the Strzelecki Sustainable & Productive Pastures group to run this project.
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| Key Objectives | To replace current drought affected pasture species and introduce productive species that will: • withstand future dry periods and higher temperatures on north facing slopes • improve rainfall utilisation • improve soil health through better ground cover • bind soil through better root development to combat wind and water erosion • determine pasture establishment methods that will have better production outcomes and reduced environmental impacts • link local farmers and industry groups with DPI, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority programs and Landcare incentives • include extension on grazing and management regimes using Best Practice Management techniques • provide increased community capacity through the delivery of field days and farm walks |
| Description of Project | The project consisted of trial plantations of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) and Phalaris in two paddocks on the northern slopes of the Strzelecki Ranges. The paddocks were levelled, rabbit warrens ripped and sprayed out and then seeded through different methods to test their efficiency (air broadcasting and direct drilling).
The trial paddocks were observed on two open days and evaluated for species mix and ground cover.
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| Issues encountered during the project | • There was more soil disturbance than expected in the pre-planting preparation which exposed areas of shallow subsoils and effected pasture establishment to an extent • The acidity of the site meant aluminium levels were high, preventing Phalaris establishment |
| Project Outcomes – Qualitative | • The project activities enabled the group to observe and assess what worked and didn’t work on farms with similar environment and management circumstances • It provided a forum for farmers to discuss and share knowledge and experiences • The project increased the confidence of farmers involved to change practices to suit different environments • The environmental benefits were of a longer term nature and included shading the soil, reducing soil temperature in summer, less evaporation, more vigorous root systems and improved water holding capacity and humus production • The trial generated information which was a change from the local practice of using Rye grasses for all areas of the farm to considering species that are more suited to the drier, more exposed north facing slopes. |
| Project Outcomes – Quantitative | • Although poor initially, Cocksfoot established successfully and has continued to improve and its dry matter production was superior to previous grasses on these sites with a much quicker response to summer rains • Phalaris establishment failed due to apparent aluminium toxicity in the acid soils • Improvement in pasture sward has increase stock carrying capacity and supplementary feeding has not been required since • Due to the poor initial results no quantitative comparison could be made of the sowing techniques |
| Lessons Learned | • Plan your works program well in advance and allow for variables such as – weather, machinery break down, sickness, cashflow etc. • Need to know the soil (test & use it!) and to rectify deficiencies that are practical to do so, for example the acidity of the site meant aluminium levels were high, preventing Phalaris establishment • Select the best pasture species and establishment practices that best suit the soil, aspect, rainfall, drainage, production requirements and persistence • It is important to supervise all aspects of a trial to ensure specifications and standards are maintained, for example contractors need clear instructions and need to be supervised otherwise there could be too much soil disturbance • Cocksfoot can be hard to establish but where it has established it appears to be achieving the aims |
| Transferable Outcomes | • The project site has since become part of a wider soil/pasture management project and the subject of numerous field days |
Photography
Established grasses on SSPP trial site - MJ Cock 23/11/2008Late summer growth on SSPP trial site - MJ Cock 5/3/2009Late summer growth on SSPP trial site - MJ Cock 5/3/2009
Late summer growth on SSPP trial site - MJ Cock 5/3/2009
