Big turnout for two days of property visits focusing on erosion and productivity

Graziers visited two properties – Glenalpine and Strathalbyn – to review methods being trialed to remediate gullies and unproductive land, while improving pasture cover. 

The LDC project builds on, and aligns with, existing local initiatives in the BBB catchment. One of those initiatives is the NQ Dry Tropics’ Stomping Out Sediment project.

The Stomping Out Sediment project is working with eight properties and 15 approved project sites. It’s investigating a range of options for improving grass cover to manage erosion and increase productivity, while also trying different methods for fixing gullies and remediating erosion sites.

Intermediary results shows grazing management changes are making a marked difference to stabilising smaller gullies. A number of larger gullies have had remediation works successfully completed as well.

One site has been severely impacted by wallaby pressure from nearby dense rubber vine, the construction of a marsupial exclusion fence has allowed grass to re-establish on a severely eroded site.

Monitoring and evaluation of all project sites will be the focus for the next 12 months.

Field days to inspect sites on two of the properties taking part in the project were held in May. More than 50 graziers and technical experts visited one or both field days, held at Glenalpine Station and Strathalbyn Station.

Both properties have had success in using high numbers of livestock for a short period aimed at improving soil health, increasing water infiltration and improving pasture cover. This has also been the case for the treatment of a number of erosion features and small gullies.

Grazing management consultants Brian Wehlburg, Inside Outside Management, and Dick Richardson, Grazing Naturally, are providing technical support and extension services to the project through their experience in the use of cattle impact in restoration of gullies and degraded grazing lands.

Brian Wehlburg from Inside Outside Management talks about making accurate assessments of vegetation and land condition.

Glenalpine Station grazier Barry O’Sullivan explains the approach taken on Glenalpine to workshop participants.

Manager of the Stomping Out Sediment project Rod Kerr.