NATIONAL LANDCARE WEBINAR

1. NATIONAL LANDCARE WEBINAR Regenerating Australia’s Soil Health Series Hosted by the National Landcare Facilitator in partnership with Soils for Life The NLF is an initiative of

2. NATIONAL LANDCARE WEBINAR “Regenerating Australia’s Soil Health ” PART 3 How do we measure and extend effective practices? Speakers: Tim Wright, Bill & Rhonda Daly, John Talbot

3. NATIONAL LANDCARE WEBINAR PART 2 Measuring the success of Holistic Management TIM WRIGHT

4. Our Holistic Goal “We aim to develop and maintain our property as a pleasing, ecologically balanced environment. We also aim for a chemical-free product. By doing this we believe our wool and meat production enterprises will be healthier and more cost efficient. In turn, we believe this will lead to healthier profits for the future, as well as improving human health. We endeavour to expand the horizons and the opportunities for both ourselves and the community.” 4

5. History of ‘Lana’ • <1955 – western wethers, spring burning, total of 4500 DSE • 1955 – first aerial application of superphosphate • 1970-1989 – sown pastures (12%) and livestock buildup • 1992-1994 – cell grazing trial • 1995-2006 – planned grazing and holistic management • 2002 – Kasamanca farm development began 5

6. From 35 paddocks (averaging 240 acres each) to 250 paddocks (averaging 32 acres each) • Five major farmlets and one minor farmlet • 3500 DSE per ‘farmlet’ • 1 DSE = 1x45kg dry sheep 6

7. Planned vs continuous grazing Landcare funded trials 7

8. Rest as a tool Open and closed plan phases of the planned grazing approach, based on prediction of pasture carrying ca‍pacity on a 3-monthly basis, and retention of a suitable pasture buffer to return organic matter and litter to the soil. The open and closed plan is an Allan Savory concept. • Planned rest is paramount to avoid ‘overgrazing’ or ‘overresting’ • Duration of rest determined by plant growth rate and ‘brittleness’ • At ‘Lana’, rest periods vary from 60 to 110 days 8 Buying, joining, culling, sale and feed budgeting decisions Open plan(growing season) Closed plan (non-growing season) Summer Pasture Yield or Productivity Autumn Spring Winter } { Unconsumed biomassreturned to soil Feed buffer J A S O N D J F M A M J Season

9. Philosophy/approach to the importance of measuring and monitoring 9

10. Practical indicators that we measure/monitor 10

11. Resources/costs associated with measuring and monitoring 11

12. From 1980 to 2011, ‘Lana’ increased its rainfall use efficiency 12