Funding Source: Australian Government – Smart Farms, Small Grants, Round 2 Program
Timeline: July 2019 – October 2021
Funding received: $84 000 (GST exc.)
Project Description
Shelterbelts have been used successfully in our Landcare group catchment area for over 20 years. For those farmers who developed shelterbelts years ago, their productivity benefits are well known and understood. The reduction in wind and provision of shade are obvious and over time as the birds move back into these landscapes, their assistance with pollination, pest insect attack and amenity also often resonate with farmers.
This project continues to build on the knowledge and momentum gained from our successful Round 1 project, by continuing to expand on the development of essential shade and shelter across the catchment. Primarily this will be achieved by offering financial incentives to establish new shelter belts, shade blocks and shelter for farm dams; but will be extended by the inclusion of fodder species into appropriate revegetation sites to provide for emergency feed during drought years.
We are crucially aware of the loss of old paddock trees in our landscape and their vital importance for shade for stock and as a biodiversity asset. Paddock trees are the only remaining shade on some properties. Since our Groups establishment in 1992, we have had a long history of planting to provide corridors and windbreaks for our members, with many sites now well over 20 years old and performing well in our landscape. From experience we know what can be achieved.
We see the development of shade and shelter across our landscape as a key tool to mitigate climate change and support our agricultural producers. Many producers are aware of the need for shade, but do not fully understand the science behind the design of the shelterbelts (number of rows and density), appropriate species selection (shrubs must be included for adequate wind protection at ground level, not just trees) and the best methods of establishment. We can provide support to our producers to encourage them to develop appropriate plans for their properties and to assist them to actually get the shade established.
Community support for this project is high, for what we plant today, will become the shade and foundation for our future farmers.
Project activities will include:
- Establishing vegetation to provide essential shade and shelter on 10.5 hectares of agricultural land across at least 9 sites. Revegetation to establish native indigenous trees and shrubs will be undertaken using tube stock, selectively include suitable fodder plants into some shelterbelts to provide additional fodder sources in times of drought.
- Fencing to protect our vegetation whilst establishing and exclude stock from sites. For producers where shade is the critical issue, the belts and blocks will be sited such that they provide optimal shade during the hot afternoon sun (noon-7pm). For producers where wind protection is required, belts will generally be orientated to protect against cold southerly winds during the winter months.
- 200 new paddock trees will also be planted, to support our long term program of paddock tree re-establishment across the catchment.
- One Farm Gate workshop under this project to extend our planting concepts to investigate options for the inclusion of fodder species into our shelter belts, with consideration of our local rainfall conditions and what will grow successfully in our local area.
Outcomes
We commenced our onground works program in 2020 for this project. Sites completed over winter 2020 and 2021 comprised:
- Thirty nine shade and shelter sites were completed , over a total area of 14.5ha.
- 7.5km of fencing was erected, with 9ha of revegetation established using planted tubestock.
- 7500 tubestock were planted, comprising of 1800 trees and 5700 shrubs during winter 2020.
- An additional 1850 shrubs were self-funded by the group and planted over winter 2021 into the sites to replace losses.
- 7 laminated property plans were also developed for those landholders who had never used these as a planning tool previously.
- 200 new paddock trees were established.
Photos for a selection of our project sites are shown below. Please hover over the photo to read the caption for each site.
Shelterbelt orientated to provide maximum midday shade at Oxley at Oxley
Planting using clumps of trees and native shrubs to develop windbreak and facilitate glider movement, Moyhu
Protection and enhancement of two farm dams at Greta. Large block of shrubs through centre of site, with blocks of trees down each side for shade
Planting along ephemeral creek at Greta West to create shelterbelt and protect remnant paddock trees
Single rows of trees planted for shade between small horse paddocks at Glenrowan West. Multiple Eucalypts used to avoid a monoculture of one species
Protecting this remnant tree still enables stock good access to shade on three sides, Moyhu
Great end assembly! L-shaped shelterbelt on the 15 Mile Creek flats at Greta South
Planting blocks of shrubs across contour to reduce wind speeds and create woodland bird habitat at Hansonville
Protection and enhancement of farm dams to protect water quality and reduce evaporation, Oxley
Renovating older single tree line to include an understory of shrubs to reduce wind speeds at ground level at Moyhu
Incorporating beautiful old remnant trees into shelterbelts gives you a 200 year head start on your site, Oxley
Making the most of fallen timber in your shelterbelt for habitat, Moyhu
Achieving multiple objectives at Moyhu, gully protection and shelter block
Planting on the western side of farm dams helps to provide afternoon shade into the adjoining paddock
Planting clumps of shrubs and individual trees through a creek site to develop shelter for adjacent paddock
Shade block adjacent to ephemeral drainage line
Just six months after planting, already this farm dam site is transformed with an increase in aquatic vegetation and shrubs planted for a windbreak
Shelterbelt sited North-South provides excellent afternoon shade
The Group has also been successful in receiving funding under Round 3 of the Smart Farms, Small Grants program. This funding will allow us to continue rolling out a program of developing shade and shelter sites across our catchment. Please check our current projects for more information.
This project is supported by the Greta Valley Landcare Group through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.