UNE > News and Events > Browse by article > Sheep farmers caring for the environment: Northern Tablelands field day

Next UNE Researcher Honoured with OAM June 13, 2006  

Previous Building site excavation reveals secrets of early Armidale life June 8, 2006 

Sheep farmers caring for the environment: Northern Tablelands field day

June 09, 2006

ReidN.thumb.jpgSheep farmers on the Northern Tablelands are about to hear the results of four years' research, led by The University of New England, linking wool profits and biodiversity.

The Northern Tablelands research is one of about 37 separate projects comprising the national "Land, Water & Wool" project, an initiative of Australian Wool Innovation Ltd (AWI) and Land & Water Australia.

The Chief Executive Officer of AWI, Dr Len Stephens, will launch the research findings at a field day near the Northern Tablelands town of Walcha on Tuesday 13 June. The field day will be at "Blaxland", the property of James and Caroline Street - one of 10 properties on the Northern Tablelands where the researchers have documented woolgrowers' production, biodiversity and natural resource management initiatives.

"Biodiversity is the variety of plants, animals, fungi and microbes on our farms and the interactions between them," explained UNE's Associate Professor Nick Reid, the leader of the Northern Tablelands project. "Biodiversity is important because it drives biological production and keep most of the pests in check. We need biodiversity to maintain productive farms, livelihoods, and the nation's agriculture."

Dr Reid (pictured here), from UNE's School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources Management, will give the background to the "Land, Water & Wool" project at the field day. He will explain that woolgrowers manage about 1.5 million hectares of land on the Northern Tablelands. "About half of that is native vegetation - either native pastures or timber, bushland and tree plantings," he said. "From this biologically diverse resource base, the region's woolgrowers produce almost half of the world's superfine wool. The field day will report on the many different ways that local woolgrowers are combining best environmental practice, wool production, and animal welfare for sustainable businesses and sound natural resource management.”

The field day will include a tour of "Blaxland", where Mr and Mrs Street have carried out a program that has included tree planting, the regeneration of wetlands, and the protection of areas of original grassy woodland vegetation. They have planted about 90,000 trees on their 829 ha property. "Our aim has been to provide shelter for both stock and wildlife, creating blocks and corridors, increasing biodiversity, and encouraging a healthier ecosystem," Mrs Street said.

UNE received $312,000 from the “Native Vegetation and Biodiversity” sub-program of "Land, Water & Wool" to conduct the "Profitable, Biodiverse Wool Production Systems on the Northern Tablelands" project. The project was a partnership between UNE, Southern New England Landcare and the Centre for Agricultural and Regional Economics. A committee of eight local woolgrower families advised the project team, which also received help from many other woolgrowers.

For more information contact Associate Professor Nick Reid on (02) 6773 2539, Southern New England Landcare on (02) 6772 9123, or James and Caroline Street on (02) 6778 7348.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at June 9, 2006 01:17 PM