Barking up the right tree with biodiversity campaign

Land, Water & Wool researchers in Victoria are introducing new ways of getting their project findings to woolgrowers. Based around a free dog collar printed with 'BARK UP THE RIGHT TREE' the project encourages woolgrowers to be a ‘top dog’ in hill country management. The team aim to use the new communication product to grab the attention of time strapped woolgrowers and unleash the full potential of native vegetation on their properties. They have released a new information package that should create a more exciting read than the more traditional brochures and handouts. By using a dog collar attached to a summary of project messages and publicising the Land, Water & Wool website the collars will provide a year-round reminder about the project and its findings. The following key findings are outlined in a printed foldout attached to each dog collar:

• Deferred grazing of hill country over summer months can improve stocking rates and profits as well as reduce bare hills over summer.
• Whole farm planning can allow wool profits and native vegetation management to be improved on different parts of the farm at the same timeby either: correcting soil nutrient deficiencies, or
• intensive rotational grazing on the most productive areas of the farm, allowing other more marginal parts of the farm to be managed for native vegetation.
• Establishing stock shelter through natural regeneration is relatively cheap and can increase farm profits in the long run.
• Establishing stock shelter through natural regeneration.

Jim Moll, Project Leader for the Victorian-based Farm businesses, wool production and biodiversity project is working with Elders and Landmark distributors in central Victoria to distribute information packages to 1,500 woolgrowers. The Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment is a partner in the project which is one of five major regional projects across eastern Australia funded under the Native Vegetation and Biodiversity sub-program of Land, Water & Wool. Jim's philosophy is that every wool property has dogs and trees, and using collars is a novel way to get tongues wagging to introduce messages about improved property management to farm families.

For more details visit Land, Water & Wool Native Vegetation and Biodiversity sub-program or contact Jim Moll, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (03) 5761 1619.