2014 SCHOOLS PROPERTY PLANNING COMPETITION

The Schools Property Planning Competition will be run in 2014 by North West Local Land Services for schools in the north western region of NSW. With contributions and assistance from many organisations, this competition will again be an excellent opportunity for school students to learn about agriculture and the environment.

The winning entries will include the most realistic and useful property plans for sustainable management of the host property this year, “Rosedale”. Winner and runner up individuals and teams (plus their teachers) will be presented with prizes in a special ceremony at Ag-Quip 2014.

Timetable for 2014Wednesday 18th February: Property Planning Competition Launch

Wednesday 18th February: Resources sent on a CD and will be available on the web at http://northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au

Wednesday 5th March: Field Day at “Rosedale” Currabubula

7th – 13th March: Tutorials in schools around the catchment

Monday 26th May: The two best entries per class due for marking. Post to: Col Easton, North West LLS, PO Box 528,Tamworth NSW 2340

Wednesday 20th August: Award Ceremony at Ag-Quip, Gunnedah

DisclaimerThis manual has been prepared by North West Local Land Services staff for the purposes of the 2014 Schools Property Planning Competition. Information included in this manual may be fictitious to be used only as part of the competition.

North West Local Land Services accepts no responsibility for any person acting on, or relying on, or upon any opinion, advice, representation, statement or information expressed or implied in or from the manual.

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Have you downloaded our Ground Cover app for iPhones and Android devices? It may help at the field day!

Go to: www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au/395590.html

ContentsINTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERS...........................................................................3DEVELOPING YOUR PROPERTY PLAN.................................................................4PROPERTY INFORMATION – ‘ROSEDALE’...........................................................5

1. History and Current Enterprises..........................................................................52. Landholder’s Goals.............................................................................................6

STOCKTAKE OF RESOURCES..................................................................................71. Land Use, Maps and Measuring Area.................................................................72. Contours and Drainage........................................................................................73. Current Infrastructure and Water Resources.......................................................74. Soil Landscapes...................................................................................................85. Soil Salinity.......................................................................................................106. Land Capability Classes....................................................................................117. Vegetation and Habitat Areas...........................................................................128. Climate..............................................................................................................129. Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.............................................................................14

Photos from ‘Rosedale’................................................................................................15MANAGING THE RESOURCES...............................................................................16

1. Specific Issues...................................................................................................162. Legal Obligations..............................................................................................17

PUTTING THE PLAN TOGETHER..........................................................................181. Specific Works..................................................................................................182. Management Recommendations.......................................................................193. Monitoring.........................................................................................................20

THE PLAN AND REPORT.........................................................................................211. The Physical Plan..............................................................................................212. The Report.........................................................................................................21

EXTRA RESOURCES................................................................................................221. Expertise............................................................................................................222. Funding Opportunities......................................................................................223. Other relevant organisations and websites........................................................22

APPENDIX I: MARKING SCHEDULE.....................................................................23APPENDIX II: THE DOT GRID................................................................................24APPENDIX III: VEGETATION SPECIES EXPECTED AT ‘Rosedale’...................26APPENDIX IV: Cover page template..........................................................................27

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INTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERSThe Property Planning Competition is designed to give students an opportunity to study a local rural property in detail. The students are required to prepare a plan that provides for long term profitability as well as sustaining the natural resources of the area.

The exercise draws together a number of land management themes and gives students the chance to apply their skills and knowledge to a real-life situation. The field day on Wednesday 5th March will provide an opportunity for students to participate in a range of activities and to engage with relevant government and industry experts.

TutorialsAfter the field day, North West LLS staff will be available to run tutorials at schools who are participating. The aim of the tutorials is to help students learn and produce the best property plan they can.

Please contact Col Easton by email: col. e as t on@ lls .n s w.gov.a u or ph: 6764 5940 fax: 6764 5995 as to your school’s availability to host or attend as a guest.

Syllabus LinksThe Schools Property Planning Competition has been designed to address numerous outcomes of TAFE Agriculture courses, the School Certificate and HSC Agriculture syllabus, particularly the Farm Case Study unit. Links can also be made to the HSC Geography syllabus and the VET Primary Industries curriculum.

Because the activity has been structured to accommodate students studying a range of subjects and abilities, teachers will need to determine the depth of study undertaken. A marking schedule is provided in Appendix I, which will be used to judge entries submitted.

Getting StartedResources provided are sufficient for students to work in small groups or individually. All material will print out clearly in black and white, but colour may make some things clearer. Each student group should be given a copy of the relevant chapters and maps available. In addition, students should access other resources from libraries, government departments or the Internet (suggested websites are included throughout this document).

To participate in the Schools Property Planning Competition you need to: Download the manual, maps and other information from Namoi CMA’s website or

the CD provided to your school Follow the prompts from: http://northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au Attend the fully paid for field day at Rosedale on 5th March 2014 Attend one of the tutorials in March (optional) Include a cover page for each entry with the name of your school, class name and

all contributing students’ names clearly marked. See Appendix IV for a template. Only send the best two entries per class to North West LLS by 26th May 2014

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DEVELOPING YOUR PROPERTY PLANProperty planning aids the landholder to match production systems on the property to its level of capability to assure future productivity and sustainability. When land is used beyond its capability it causes resource degradation and thereafter has reduced ability to support production, conversely if land is used below its potential the opportunity for greater production is being wasted. Property Planning aims to help the landholder to manage their resources and address issues in a methodical and logical manner.

Property planning enables us to plan for not only the management of stock, irrigated and dryland crops and other farm enterprises such as ecotourism but also for soils, trees, wildlife, water supply and other resources that make up a property. Property Planning also assists in planning of emergency response and biosecurity management.

Financial considerations will often be the deciding factors in determining what can be achieved in a property plan. As the major aim is to produce a practical physical plan, profitability and funding sources should be considered and described in the final report but only broad terms.

The final property plan should: Take into account natural characteristics of the land, water and vegetation Minimise land and water degradation by the identification of existing and

possible problem areas and adapting management Be aware of social, legal and economic aspects Optimise profitability of enterprises Consider broader issues – for example what are surrounding landholders

doing? What is happening in the catchment? Plan management response to biosecurity issues and other emergencies such as

bushfires and floods.

For the purposes of this competition, the scenario is that you are a team of farm advisory consultants that have been contracted to undertake a property plan.

The QuestionYour task is to use the principles of physical property planning to plan the sustainable and profitable development of the case study farm “Rosedale”.

You need to develop a map of the property, where you will mark on your suggested improvements such as infrastructure and new management practices. To accompany your map, provide a report that describes the management practices you believe should be implemented on the farm over the next 5 – 10 years and justify the decisions you have made on your plan.

To be eligible to enter the competition you are required to submit a: Physical plan (the map with your recommendations marked) A report to go with the map explaining the recommendations you have made

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Cover page with all of the details required (names, class, school)

PROPERTY INFORMATION – “ROSEDALE”The following section outlines the information relevant to “Rosedale” that you will need to take into account when developing your plan. It includes information on the history of the property, the aims of the landholder, and a physical stock take of the property.

Conducting a physical stock take of the property is a key element in developing a property management plan. By examining a farm thoroughly you will see a complete picture of the current state of its resources, and how best to use these resources in the future. Some factors cannot easily be changed (e.g. climate and soils) while others can be (e.g. land use and fence lines).

1. History and Current Enterprises“Rosedale” is approximately 600 hectares in size on the outskirts of Currabubula between Tamworth and Werris Creek. The elevation runs from 400m near the creek to 790m at the top of the mountains. It was purchased by the Lyons family in 2003 as a fairly run down sheep farm. Currently the property is running 100 cows and 60 calves with some weaners on adjistment off farm.

The lower slopes on the southern section of the property adjacent to Currabubula Creek (approx 150ha) has had a history of cropping and was likely cleared for this purpose in the 1950’s. This area now has a mix of paddocks with tropical pastures, lucerne, temperate pastures and paddocks that are currently fallow with no crop or pasture. Groundcover along with desirable and palatable pasture species have been in decline over the past few years in these paddocks. Weeds have also invaded these paddocks including but not limited to: Fleabane, Mexican Poppy, Bathurst Burr and also Tiger Pear.

Currabubula Creek runs along the southern boundary of the property. In places the creek has been incised (bed lowering) and some of the banks are unstable. There are some large old trees however there is a lack of new young trees growing. Introduced species and weeds are very evident including Willows, Peppercorns, Tiger Pear and African Boxthorn. Stock have unrestricted access to most of the creek and use some of the remaining water holes for stock water although it has been noticed that these waterholes dry up much more quickly than they used to. Only a few kilometers upstream from “Rosedale” there are known habitats and populations of platypus and catfish.

The mid section of the property is native pastures and has been partially cleared of trees, steep in places with rocky outcrops. There are a number of dams that are the water supply for grazing animals and this section is divided into 2 paddocks with a total area of approximately 450ha. There are pine regrowth issues in this paddock which can limit pasture growth and therefore grazing potential.

Rising above this paddock is the very steep slopes (up to 790m) which form part of the Melville Ranges and the northern end of the property. There is minimum grazing

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potential in this area due to the steepness, inaccessibility, rockiness and tree cover. St. Johns Wort is often found in these steep areas and is starting to creep into the lower slopes.

Cattle are kept in the southern paddocks around the creek for most of the year. Lucerne is cut and given to cattle for feed when available and required. When the cows are calving they are moved into the mid section of the property where there is more shelter.

Current fences are in good condition with much of this work being undertaken over the past 10 years. A tank and series of troughs have been set up in all of the paddocks adjacent to the creek.

The owners live on the property in a house that has been recently renovated. There is a new hay shed for storage and a new set of cattle yards.

The main challenges on this property are:

improving and maintaining groundcover to at least 70% or above minimising erosion in the creek and adjacent paddocks improving the condition of the creek and encouraging habitat for native flora and

fauna improving water quality in the creek selecting appropriate grazing and or cropping enterprises seasonal feed value and availability shade and shelter for stock planning for emergencies such as bushfires and floods as well as biosecurity issues.

These challenges should be addressed in the property plan.

2. Landholder’s GoalsWhile property plans can be based purely on the physical resources, it is the landholder who will implement the plan. It is therefore desirable that any plan not only accounts for the physical factors but also the aims of the landholder.

The goals of the owners of “Rosedale” are to:

Increase property value for sale in the future

Increase productivity of the cattle enterprise

Improve pasture quality and quantity (including having a mix of types of pastures and provision of seasonal shortages)

Encouraging water to stay longer in the creek with better waterholes

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STOCKTAKE OF RESOURCES1. Land Use, Maps and Measuring AreaCurrent landuse on “Rosedale” is predominately grazing with a mix of introduced pastures including tropicals, temperates and lucerne along the creek and native perennial pastures and remnant native vegetation on the steeper slopes.

You have been provided with a series of maps to print and undertake your property planning. The north arrow, property boundary and scale are displayed on each map.

The following information in Table 1 can be used as a guide to calculate areas on the map. A scale bar will appear on the maps which will also help you to work out distances and areas. If you need help, please discuss at the tutorials. A dot grid can also be used to calculate land areas (see Appendix II).

Table 1: Area statistics

Example – not scale of mapsScale - 1:20 000

1 cm : 200 m1 cm square: 200 m x 200 m

1 cm square: 40,000 square metres1 hectare = 10,000 square metres

So 1cm square (on the map) = 4 hectares (on the ground)

2. Contours and DrainageThe map shows contour lines, which represent areas of uniform elevation, with a constant interval in height between them. This means that where contours are spaced more closely together, the land surface is steeper, so may require conservative management to offset the potential erosion hazard. A key consideration should be:

Drainage lines, watercourses and riparian vegetation should be retained and carefully managed. They are at risk of erosion if cultivated or overgrazed.

Often these areas could benefit from revegetation and grazing management i.e. stock excluded and only crash grazed when appropriate. They may already contain native vegetation that is important for biodiversity on the property.

3. Current Infrastructure and Water ResourcesThe infrastructure map shows the location of existing fences, on “Rosedale”. Most fences on the property are either new or have been replaced/repaired over the past 10 years. However there are fences along the creek which will need replacing as the creek has moved over time and the fence has collapsed due to undercutting.

The stock water supply on Rosedale consists of a reliable tank and trough system in the paddocks adjacent to the creek as well as using the creek for water where the creek has not been fenced off. Dams are utilized in the other higher sections of the property as troughs will not be suitable to reticulate to. If there is an addition of paddocks and increased stock numbers, particularly in the steeper section of the property, more watering points will be required.

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4. Soil LandscapesSoil is the main resource upon which plant and animal production depends, so it is important to understand the features that determine the ability of a soil to support this production, and to be resilient towards degradation. The Soil Landscape map shows the extent of different soil landscapes on Rosedale, and further detail is provided below.

The names given below are not the names of the individual soil types but the names of the soil landscape which can comprise of a number of soil types. The use of soil landscapes as a mapping unit allows the combining of soil and topographic (physical features) constraints into one unit so that the map can be viewed in terms of limitations for urban and rural development.

At the field day we will identify, test and describe the soil type within the landscape at a particular point on the farm using soil pits. In addition, we will describe how these soils where formed and what advantages and limitations they may have. “Rosedale” is covered by 4 main soil landscapes as described below.

Currabubula CreekThis soil landscape is a level floodplain containing high energy streams which drain from the Melville Ranges. There is widespread stream bank erosion and sheet erosion across these areas with little remnant vegetation left except on margins of larger streams. The soil types are variable but are mostly moderately deep alluvial clay soils that are moderately fertile. Due to this fertility and level floodplain, most of the landscape has been cleared for cropping and grazing.

MelvilleThe Melville soil landscape is characterised by undulating to rolling hills and mountain side slopes. Whilst the soil geology in this landscape is extremely complex, on the property “Rosedale” it is expected that it will be mainly clay soils and slopes of between 2-12% from alluvial fans and drainage plains. Due to this slope and position in the landscape these soils can be prone to sheet erosion and in places gully erosion. This landscape has been predominately cleared for grazing in the upper slopes and cropping in lower slopes.

Slippery Rock80% of this soil landscape has been cleared in the past despite the often steep terrain and rocky outcrops. Slopes are between 20 - 50% and it is a known recharge zone for groundwater. Soils are shallow with bedrock usually within 2m from the surface. Because of the past clearing, some areas now have issues with pine regrowth.

Taggarts MountainSteep to extremely steep mountains (25 – 150%) with an elevation range of 440 – 1000m known as the Melville Ranges. The soils are light and shallow with low fertility and are prone to sheet erosion particularly if it has been cleared of native vegetation (only the lower slopes). Most of the remnant native vegetation is still intact mainly due to the steepness and inaccessibility.

When describing a soil so we can identify it and determine its strengths and weaknesses we need to look at a number of the soils features:

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Soil Texture describes the relative proportions of sand (large particles), silt (small particles) and clay (tiny particles) in a soil. Texture indicates the ease with which a soil can be worked and its capacity to hold water and nutrients. Texture also affects the ability of a soil to handle machinery traffic, and its susceptibility to erosion.

Soil pH is a measure of the acidity and/or alkalinity of a soil. It is an important factor in determining the availability of nutrients and trace elements to plants. At low pH for example, nutrients such as phosphorus become deficient, while others such as aluminium become available in toxic amounts.

Soil colour gives a good guide to the level of organic matter, the amount and state of iron in the soil, the degree of leaching and level of drainage. A red coloured soil is due to highly oxidised iron (similar to rust) and indicate good drainage and are usually found higher on ridges and upper slopes. Yellow, grey and mottled soils are indicators of less well drained soils and are usually found in lower areas and on drainage lines.

Soil structure refers to the arrangement of soil particles, the strength of the bonding between them and the size and distribution of the pores throughout the soil. Structure plays an important role in determining the ability of a soil to absorb and to hold water and air. Also, the ease with which seedlings may emerge from and roots may penetrate the soil.

The rate of water infiltration of soil affects the productivity of a property. The more rainfall that soaks into the ground means more water available for plant production. The rate of water infiltration also affects the amount of run-off (which may increase soil erosion) and recharge to groundwater.

Soil salinity refers to the presence of salt in the soil. A high salt level is toxic to plants, and may cause poor pasture growth and reduced crop yield, and in extreme cases, bare patches of unproductive land.

Soil fertility refers to the chemical, physical and biological fertility of a soil. Chemical soil fertility refers to soil pH, soil salinity and the ability of the soil to store and supply plant nutrients. Physical soil fertility refers to soil texture and structure. Biological soil fertility refers to the amount of organic matter and the ability of the soil to support biological activity.

Soil health refers to the combination of the chemical, physical and biological fertility of a soil. A healthy soil can be defined as one that is productive and easy to manage under the intended land use. In addition, a healthy soil has biological, physical and chemical properties that promote the health of plants, animals and humans while also maintaining environmental quality.

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5. Soil SalinitySoil salinity refers to the presence of salts in the soil. Salinity poses two potential problems to plant growth - specific harmful effects of particular salts, and general effects of high osmotic pressure of the solution around the plant roots, which effectively prevents the plant taking up water.

In severe cases, salt will kill plants and bare the ground surface, with white crystals visible. In less severe cases, salt tolerant species may be present. Some soils have high salt loads at depth, so it is important to follow best management principles in order to reduce deep drainage and the occurrence of rising water tables and thus salinity.

Signs and symptoms of salinity trees dying in clusters for no apparent reason poor crop performance spread of bare patches of soil salt-tolerant species thriving salt crusts on the surface.

Salinity recharge and discharge areasThe recharge area is an area where water enters into the landscape – through the surface into the soil and rocks. These can be anywhere in the landscape – but is often in the upper parts, on the hills and slopes.

The discharge area is an area where water exits the landscape – can be at the break of slope, a change in soil type, a geological constriction, into a creek or drainage line, a dam or seep.

Management of Salinity OutbreaksManagement of salinity is about utilising water efficiently. Salts are very soluble so are easily move across the landscape and to areas where they can have a negative impact. Deep rooted perennial grass and trees are able to use water and access water deeper in the soil than shallow crops. Perennial grasses usually grow all year round and therefore have the capacity to use water when there is a rainfall event, rather than this water being lost to deep drainage in the soil and running off at the surface.

Efficient grazing management to encourage good growth of pastures is important as is limiting stock impact on fragile salt affected areas. Earthworks can be useful in areas to reduce erosion or wash off from salt affected areas.

Zero-till stubble retention systems and sound nutritional management can assist in reducing the effects of salinity on crop yields. This system reduces the accumulation of sodium and salts at the soil surface because it increases rainfall infiltration into the soil and reduces evaporation from the soil surface. Including deep-rooted crops in the rotation will also contribute to improved management of water and salt movement through the profile.

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The adoption of water use efficiency in irrigation can assist in salinity management by reducing the potential for deep drainage and mobilisation of salts – particularly into groundwater or shallow aquifers.

6. Land Capability ClassesLand capability describes the ability of land to sustain a type of land use without causing permanent damage. If land is used beyond its capability, the resource becomes degraded and therefore has a reduced ability to support further productivity. In NSW an eight-class system is commonly used to assess land capability. Features such as slope, soil type, and erosion risk are considered, and the most limiting factor determines the overall capability class for any land portion. The diagram below indicates typical land capability boundaries in a landscape.

The following table describes the eight class system that was used to classify land on ‘Rosedale’, and indicates how each may be best managed to maintain its productivity and sustainability.

Table 3: Land Capability ClassesLand class

Brief description

I Best cropping soils in NSW – flat. Usually flat land that is highly fertile and is often cropped continuously. Examples include market gardening area.

II Very good cropping land. Low slope with little erosion potential and good soil types. Techniques such as crop rotations and conservation farming will ensure long term sustainability of the farm environment.

III

Sloping cropping country that could wash and erode when ploughed. The land is also quite fertile cropping land but due to the length of slope, and perhaps the type of soil, erosion control earthworks such as contour banks should be used to control erosion. Conservation tillage techniques are recommended for Class III soils.

IV

Best grazing country but too fragile for regular crops - up to 2 crops in 10 years with direct drilling or minimum tillage (tined implements recommended). Keep pastures taller than 5 cm. The land may be undulating with main limitations being slope, rockiness, fertility of soil, and/or susceptibility to soil structure decline. Pasture improving, applying fertiliser and controlling grazing will maintain adequate groundcover.

V As for class IV, but less capable because: some limitations are more significant, and/or because of existing or potential erosion, and the degree of slope, may

require erosion control earthworks (this is more so if the topsoil is to be

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exposed during cultivation).Control of vermin, broadcasting of seed or aerial fertiliser application may also be necessary. There may be some waterlogging.

VI

Grazing land that must not be cultivated because of soils, slope, wind or water erosion hazard or rock. Requires good management such as controlled grazing or broadcast pasture improvement (often by air) for improved carrying capacity.

VIIToo fragile for grazing, keep trees for seed and honey. Land best left under green timber or undisturbed ground cover. The area could be a high recharge area.

VIII Non farming scenic woodland or wetland - not capable of sustaining agriculture production eg. cliffs, lakes, swamps and quarries.

Key Considerations

Using the above information on Land Capability, consider what land use enterprise options and management are best suited to the different areas of the property.

Current land use may exceed the land's capability. Are you going to maintain what is there or consider new enterprises or management strategies?

7. Biodiversity Remnant native vegetation is important for maintaining ecosystem biodiversity. Diverse ecosystems maintain robust food webs that are of value to grazing and cropping enterprises and society in general. An example of this includes microbats that live under tree bark and in the hollows of old trees. Microbats play a major part in keeping down numbers of flying insects, including mosquitoes that can carry Ross River virus, a disease which can be lethal to humans. Improving remnant vegetation improves the resilience of these foods webs which in turn improve the resilience of human communities.

Barn owls and other native predators play an important role in vermin control. They are very successful mouse managers, tearing their prey apart with frightening violence. Predatory birds are extremely valuable to graziers and croppers, helping to reduce the impact of small vermin on profits. These owls require trees with hollows for them to roost in. Hollows form when mature trees drop large limbs, taking heartwood with them. Large hollows are usually only found in trees over 100 years old which again indicates the importance of remnant native vegetation.

Wedge-tailed eagles are also successful hunters of vermin. Once blamed for taking lambs; eagles have now been shown to prefer rabbits, wallabies and joeys.

Biodiversity of undisturbed remnant areas helps to make the neighbouring country more productive; it also increases the health and resilience of broader communities. Remnant woodland areas provide valuable windbreaks and at times can reduce moisture loss that can impact grazing and cropping enterprises. Farm layouts are increasingly including shelter belts to benefit many facets of agriculture.

For further information on environmental services of remnant vegetation, visit the Special Place Pack for Quipolly Dam:

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http://specialplaces.namoi.xceed.com.au/quipolly-dam/

Distribution of vegetation on the property can be observed on the maps provided. There are significant areas of intact remnant native vegetation on the steeper slopes however on the lower slopes native vegetation has been modified through clearing and a history of grazing and cultivation. There is very little native vegetation left on the lower slopes which can adversely affect animal production. Appendix III contains a species list of trees, shrubs and grasses expected to be found on ‘Rosedale’ on the lower slopes, which may be relevant to your planning particularly if you propose to revegetate areas of the property.

Key Considerations:

Trees provide stock protection (shade and shelter), erosion control, timber supplies (firewood and fence posts), biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and farm beautification.

Trees are deep rooted and can often help to reduce the impact of salinity outbreak areas. They must, however, be placed in the correct position within the landscape to have this effect.

In less developed country, native vegetation regenerates easily when fenced from livestock. In more developed country (farmed for a longer period of time), vegetation would have to be planted.

8. Climate“Rosedale” is situated on the North West Slopes of NSW. The property is situated in a summer rainfall zone but useful falls can occur in winter and spring. The summers are hot but not extreme, the winter days are mild and nights can be cool and occasionally frosty. The average rainfall is 634mm.

Figure 1 shows the average monthly rainfall over the year, and clearly demonstrates the pattern of summer dominance.

Mean Monthly Rainfall

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As well as rainfall, temperature is another important determinant of plant growth and influences infiltration and evaporation dynamics. Figure 2 shows the mean monthly minimum and maximum temperatures for ‘Rosedale’.

Mean Monthly Temperatures

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pera

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Mean maximumtemperatureMean minimumtemperature

More climatic information is available at: www.bom.gov.au/ c limate/averages/

Key Considerations

Rainfall amount and seasonality determines the crop and pasture species that may be grown in an area and influences plant growth, erosion hazard, flooding hazard and groundwater levels.

The amount of rainfall influences stream-flow to lower areas and groundwater levels through deep drainage.

Temperature will affect plant growth and stock nutritional needs; management of the property needs to consider how the effect of temperature can be managed.

Wind speed and direction influences water use by crops and pastures, and is an important consideration when determining sites for wind breaks or stock shelter areas

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Photos from “Rosedale”Photo A: Small lucerne paddock with the creek in background and mid-slops of the property

Photo B: Currabubula Creek upstream of property, healthy vegetation with Cumbungi reed beds

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MANAGING THE RESOURCES1. Specific IssuesExisting problems on the property should be considered and will influence the final plan. If and what type of remedial action will be required? What enterprises and management strategies are most suited to these areas?

Table 4: Issues that exist at “Rosedale”Issue Points to be aware of when developing management optionsPoor groundcover

Groundcover is low where over grazing has occurred on the lower slopes. This can cause many issues including encouraging annual grasses and weeds that have less nutritional value for stock, increased risk of erosion, decreased water infiltration/retention and decreases in soil fertility and organic matter.

Riparian area

This section of Currabubula Creek has been degraded over the years which have caused severe bank and bed erosion in places, invasion of weeds including Willows and Peppercorn trees, low groundcover due to unrestricted stock access and lack of recruitment of new canopy species. Further upstream there are Cumbungi reed beds and known platypus and catfish populations which indicate that this stream has potential for rehabilitation. There are fences along parts of the creek which were constructed very close to the bank which has eroded and thus the fence has fallen over.

Weeds Environmental weeds are those which are not listed as noxious but do pose serious environmental threats to biodiversity. This property has some weed issues with the main threat being posed by the potential invasion of Coolatai Grass on the road sides adjacent to the property. You may notice this at the front gate when you enter for the field day.

Shallow soils

There are some areas of the property which have shallow soils and high rock content. Shallow soils have: Low water holding capacity, which results in lower production potential. Poor infiltration, so increased run-off leads to poor plant establishment and susceptibility

to erosion. Low fertility that results in reduced plant vigour therefore reducing plant production and

thus grazing potential.Tree decline

The property has low tree cover because of past clearing, cropping, grazing and competition from pastures in the lower slopes which is now used for predominantly grazing. Tree decline can reduce agricultural production through loss of shade and shelter, as well contributing to other forms of land degradation such as erosion, salinity and water logging. Carefully think about where would be best appropriate to plant trees.

Pine regrowth

In the mid-slopes areas, trees and shrubs have been cleared in the past to increase grass production and grazing areas. These areas now have issues with pine trees regenerating densely and forming areas with little groundcover underneath and loss of grazing area. These mid-slopes are generally not grazed

Bushfire Risk

With the large remnant native vegetation area to the north of the property, this property could come under threat from bushfires particularly in a dry season. Planning must be considered with particular consideration to: human life, livestock and infrastructure protection.

Water quality

Erosion on the slopes will lead to higher levels of turbidity (muddy water) in waterways across the catchment (in this case Currabubula Creek). This can lead to a decline in water quality and other issues.

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2. Legal Obligations Many legal constraints affect the final property plan. Table 5 briefly outlines some legal constraints and their implications for the property. In addition to those listed below it may be necessary to address other Acts depending on your final plan, including the Pesticides Act 1990, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, all of which can found at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au.

Table 5: Possible legal constraintsIssue Legal constraintsNative Vegetation Clearing

Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) Clearing of native vegetation including invasive native scrub (except under Routine Agricultural Management Activities [RAMA’s]) must be approved through the Native Vegetation Act 2003. An application to clear must be approved by North West Local Land Services. For more information go to www.environment.nsw.gov.au/vegetation/nvmanagement

Threatened species Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW) Endangered ecological communities such as Grassy White Box Woodlands are protected by this Act.

Threatened ecological communities

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth) (EPBC Act). This act provides national and protection and management of important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places with national environmental significance.

Protected land Soil Conservation Act 1938This applies to stream banks (no native vegetation removal within 20 metres of stream bank). Also applies to lands that are steep, greater than 33 %, 18 degrees. Existing native vegetation must be retained and allowed to regenerate. This includes grasses as well as shrubs and trees.

Noxious weeds Noxious Weeds Act 1993Bushfire Management

Rural Fires Act 1997, all burning and fires are to be carried out in accordance with this Act.

Local Government Planning Zones

Rural Zone - Generally encourages rural pursuits within this zone, and incompatible development should be controlled

Water – farm dams Water Management Act 2000Under the Water Reform legislation up to 10% of the water that falls on the property may be harvested (stored in a dam) and used for any purpose before a licence must be obtained. This is called the harvestable right. This guarantees a basic level of access to a water supply for the rural community.For more information go to www.water.nsw.gov.au/Water-Licensing/Basic-water-rights/default.aspx

Water Water Management Act 2000Groundwater licences, floodplain management, environmental flows are all included under this Act. Check for more information as approvals are required for some activities relating to water management in NSW.

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PUTTING THE PLAN TOGETHER The section may help you decide what to put in your physical plan and what recommendations to give in your report.

1. Specific WorksThis section outlines specific works you may want to include in your property plan. These works are to be marked on your map, and then referred to in your report.

Fencing and Water SupplyConsiderations in fencing design should be part of your plan. While it is preferable to keep current infrastructure where it is to reduce the costs associated with implementing the new plan, these resources can be flexible. If the benefits of their removal or relocation are exceeded by the costs involved then you can consider implementation.

Stock water supply has a significant effect on property management and planning. You must advise the landholders of the options open to them and give reasons for the option/s you recommend. Make sure you consider the current enterprises on the property and match these to the water supply option you recommend.

Conservation Earthworks including Riparian WorksWhere management practices alone are not capable of controlling a soil erosion problem, conservation earthworks may be required to remediate the problem.

In areas subject to erosion, suitable control structures may include contour banks, levees, pasture belts, and waterways, gully filling and gully control dams.

Structures that control water erosion are designed to remove excess water from the land before it can cause erosion. Excess water removed in this way can be directed into dams, adding to the farm water supply, or disposed of into the creek and flow lines (water disposal areas).

Any erosion control program that involves diversion of run-off must provide for safe disposal of that water.

When considering the disposal of run-off water, it is important to identify the flow-lines and points at which water naturally leaves the property.

There is a legal obligation to ensure that there is no diversion of run-off from one exit point to another. Once these exit points are known it is then possible to design and locate a system of erosion earthworks.

The modification of catchments through soil erosion control works that alters the way water is delivered to watercourses may affect stream behaviour and stability. When undertaking conservation earthworks the impact on downstream areas should be considered.

Earthworks in the riparian area (creek) must be carefully considered. Where bank erosion is occurring there may be a need for a control structure to reduce this erosion. Bed control structures are required if the bed of the creek is lowering due to erosion such as a head cut. With any riparian earthworks, this requires prior approval and licences and should always be in conjunction with revegetation activities.

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Potential earthworks should be planned and costed out and discussed with relevant experts and neighbours due to legal obligations and the often complex nature of designing and implementing structures. For your map, it is only necessary to mark the areas that you believe require earthworks.

Native Vegetation A decline in remnant native vegetation has occurred throughout the lower slopes of the property over many years. It is important to think about if it is appropriate to plant and establish more trees including shelter belts, windbreaks, wildlife corridors and salt interception plantings. If you intend to include revegetation activities in your plan, you need to consider the following information.

Method of vegetation establishment i.e. tubestock planting versus natural regeneration.

Protecting remnant vegetation and regeneration areas from grazing where good seed banks or seedlings occur. This is cheaper than planting other areas.

The location of native vegetation establishment must be determined with other considerations such as climate, boundaries, roads, powerlines, and connections with existing trees for habitat expansion and biodiversity.

If you are recommending establishment of native vegetation there are a number of issues you should include in your report. They could include but are not limited to; the selection and source of suitable tree species, design, tree planting techniques, methods of excluding stock and weed control.

2. Management RecommendationsThe next step in your plan is to determine the broad area land management practices for land within the property. The management recommendations should take into account the information provided, address the issues outlined in Table 4, and consider the legal constraints given in Table 5.

Land management practices should be discussed in the report and if required, shown as unique areas using a numbered system on the map with a legend. Land management can be considered over the whole or parts of the property and may include:

Enterprise selection e.g. dryland cropping, irrigated cropping or grazing

Soil management and erosion control

Weed and pest animal control

Fire prevention and control

Drought management and preparedness

Biosecurity management

Management of riparian areas

Use of land within its capability

Native vegetation management

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Grazing ManagementThe current pastures on “Rosedale” have some limitations, which could be improved using grazing management, pasture species selection and infrastructure. There is a mix of tropical pasture paddocks and temperate pasture paddocks on the lower slopes but groundcover and persistence of the temperate species has been declining over the years. A small amount of lucerne is cut for fodder to supplement the pastures.

Native perennial pastures on the higher slopes are only used for shorter periods of time such as calving. These paddocks are much larger in size with few watering points.

It is necessary to review the grazing management plan for this property to: improve groundcover and available feed on the lower slopes review species selection of improved pasture on the lower slopes

- are temperate species appropriate for this area?- is there enough feed throughout each season?

plan for better utilisation of native pasture paddocks

Marketing DecisionsThink about different markets that could be accessed by the landholders and identify if these would be suitable for the property in regards to land capability, location of property (close to selling points such as sale yards) and meeting landholder goals.

BiosecurityBiosecurity is a set of measures designed to protect a property from the entry, establishment and spread of weeds, pests and diseases. Farm biosecurity is the landholders’ responsibility, and the responsibility those visiting or working on that property. As part of a property plan, the types of threats to that particular property should be considered including the sources/vectors and the methods of minimising those threats. Each farm will have a different set of threats because of the enterprises on the farm and location. Practical information about how to protect the farm from biosecurity risks should form part of your recommendations to the landholder.

Emergency IssuesThe property may at times be threatened by emergencies such as bushfires, floods, extended drought and storm damage. A plan to mitigate the main risks should be recommended to the landholder. Describe these risks and the types of plans to be put in place.

3. MonitoringWhen you have decided on what management options you wish to implement you may want to include some ways in which to monitor the changes. You can select a number of sites in which the landholder can do regular monitoring. The sites should either be representative of a large proportion of the property or have an obvious or suspected land degradation problem. Consider carefully as you do not want to choose too many as this will be time consuming for the landholder.

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Decide on some indicators of change that you can use to monitor physical changes on the property. Think about some of the tests and assessments you participated in at the field day. Some examples could include:

Pasture and/or groundcover percentage

Pasture and/or crop yields

Soil carbon or structural changes and soil pH

Groundwater levels

Records of bird sightings as an increase in the number and diversity of species signals better environmental conditions

Water quality

Mark the sites on your map and refer to them in your report.

An example of a monitoring tool you could use is the Ground Cover App which is a free App for iPhone and Android devices. It was developed to provide graziers with a tool to measure groundcover across their paddocks using the step point method. You will measure the percentage of pasture and other material that is covering the soil surface when looking down on it. Monitoring pastures using an objective tool such as Ground Cover provides a valuable benchmark for managing paddocks and pastures across the property.

To download go to: www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au/395590.html

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THE PLAN AND REPORT 1. The Physical Plan

Once you have considered the information and issues, the next step is to draw up your property plan. Download and print the boundary map then draw directly onto the page. The north arrow, scale and boundary are already marked so all you need to do is draw on your plan. Standard mapping symbols used in property planning are given below but you are not limited to using these symbols as long as you label and include a legend.

A good tip when drawing your plan is to use standard mapping colours i.e. blue for water, brown for earthworks, green for vegetation. Using shading or hatching over an area can show what the plan is for that area i.e. changing the land use for that paddock.

Dam Contour

Yards Waterway

Windmill Tree regeneration area

Tank Windbreak

Watering point Tree lot

2. The ReportYou are allowed a maximum of five A4 pages for the report.

Remember that land use and management proposals should be outlined in your report along with reasons for your decisions. List options then justify the recommended action.

DO NOT use Appendices to explain your report findings as they WILL NOT be read or marked.

A major part of property planning is evaluation of alternative enterprises for each particular management unit. This usually includes a comparison and assessment of the economic viability of the alternative enterprise as well as addressing physical requirements. However, for the purposes of this exercise it is not necessary to produce a detailed report on economic aspects. A simple summary is sufficient along with a short explanation of why a particular enterprise was recommended. Nevertheless, it is still important to consider how you would fund any specific works suggested.

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TRA

WB

TL

EXTRA RESOURCES 1. ExpertiseThere are many sources of information you can access for technical information. Below is a preliminary list to get you started.

NSW Local Land Services (previously Catchment Management Authorities and Livestock Health Pest Authorities)

NSW Department of Environment and Heritage

NSW Department of Primary Industries

Commercial agronomists

Your local library and school resources

2. Funding OpportunitiesThink about if works and management changes you are considering are able to be funded through external means. Environmental works that have public benefit (in addition to benefits to the landholder) may be able to be supported financially through different organisations. The following sources of information may be useful:

Grants Information: www.grantslink.gov.au

Caring for our Country: www.nrm.gov.au

North West Local Land Services: northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au

3. Other relevant organisations and websitesNSW Departments and Organisations:NSW Department of Primary IndustriesNSW Department of Environment and HeritageNSW Office of Water NSW Soil Conservation ServiceLandcare NSW

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculturewww.environment.nsw.gov.au

www.water.nsw.gov.auwww.lands.nsw.gov.au/soil_conservation www.landcarensw.org.au

National Departments and Organisations:Australian Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and CommunitiesAustralian Department of Agriculture Fisheries and ForestryGreening AustraliaNational Dryland Salinity ProgramMurray Darling Basin AuthorityCSIRO

www.environment.gov.au

www.daff.gov.au

w ww.g r eeningaustralia.org.au www.ndsp.gov.auwww.mdba.gov.auwww.csiro.au

Others:Landline ABCMeat and Livestock AustraliaFarm Biosecurity

www.a bc. n et.au/landline www.mla.com.auwww.farmbiosecurity.com.au

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APPENDIX I: MARKING SCHEDULESchool: Student names: MARKER ID:

Criterion Not done0

Consideration givenMarks: 1 - 2

Adequate standard Marks: 3 - 4

High standard Marks: 5 - 6

Score

1) Consideration of Land Use issues and hazards

No discussion of strategies to manage property considering land use constraints.

Inappropriate suggestions to manage property considering land use constraints.

Good discussion of strategies to manage property considering land use issues. Appropriate management decisions.

Thorough discussion of strategies to manage property considering land use issues and hazards. Appropriate management decisions made. Innovative strategies explored.

2) Enterprise selection, range, justification and suitability

No information presented to show enterprise selection.

Irrelevant or inappropriate enterprise selection. No reasons given.

Appropriate enterprise selection. Relevant and adequate explanation of enterprise selection.

Appropriate enterprise selection. Relevant and adequate explanation of enterprise selection. Innovative ideas demonstrated that meet the requirements of landholder and land resource.

3) Consideration of Landholders aims

No consideration given. Some consideration given to some aims.

Some consideration given to all aims. High level of consideration shown for all aims.

4) Map Presentation Not included, poor presentation. Some effort shown to present map Map presented clearly with some effort made with presentation.

Map presented very clearly and to a high standard with effort made with presentation.

5) Report Presentation Not included, poor presentation. Some effort shown to present report report presented clearly with some effort made with presentation

Report presented very clearly and to a high standard with effort made with presentation.

6) Use of Resource Information provided

No use of information provided. Some resource information used to develop management recommendations or map.

Most resource information used to develop management recommendations and map.

All resource information used to develop both management recommendations and map.

7) Legal considerations accounted for

No accounting for legal considerations.

Legal constraints considered, but unclear how they affected decisions.

Legal constraints considered. Clearly affected management decisions.

Legal issues clearly considered and applied to management, Consideration given to overcoming legal constraints.

8) Funding considered No consideration of funding works.

Mention of need to source funding. Funding sources suggested for works proposed.

Range of funding options explored and linked to proposed works.

9) Use of other resources No reference to other resources used.

References given to use of resources, but irrelevant resources used.

References given to use of resources. Relevant resources used but not referenced.

List of relevant resources mentioned in text and references given.

10) Monitoring No consideration to monitoring of recommended and works

Need to monitor mentioned Map shows monitoring points and strategy described

Range of monitoring options given with preferred strategies recommended and mapped.

11) Biosecurity and Emergency Planning

No consideration given/no response to any Biosecurity or Emergency Planning criteria

Mention given or poor understanding of Biosecurity and Emergency Planning issues

Understanding of Biosecurity and Emergency Planning issues

Thorough understanding of Biosecurity and Emergency Planning issues. Good evidence of ideas being used in plan.

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APPENDIX II: THE DOT GRIDYou can easily calculate areas on an air photo (or any other map) using a dot grid as long as you know the scale of the photo. You can use it for calculating areas of the farm such as paddocks, tree planting areas and erosion areas. A dot grid consists of a series of squares, 1 centimetre x 1 centimetre in size. Within each square there are 25 dots. The dot grid is made of clear plastic, so it can be placed over the aerial photograph.From the aerial photograph you wish to know the area of the paddock that has the shape below.

1. Place the dot grid over the area to be measured2. Trace the outline of the area3. There are 13 complete squares (1-13), which is equal to 13 sq cm4. There are a total of 45 dots remaining in incomplete squares5. To convert dots to sq cm, divide by 25 (because there are 25 dots in each square)6. Add the answers from Steps 3 and 5, ie. 13 + 1.8 = 14.8 sq cm7. The scale of the aerial photograph in this example will be 1:7,500. (Check the scale on your own map.)

Therefore;

7,500 X 7,50010,000 10,000= 0.56 ha/sq cm

8. Final calculationStep 7 x Step 6= 0.56 x 14.8= 8.3 haTo convert to acres multiply by 2.471= 20.5 acres

This method can be used to calculate small or large areas on your aerial photograph.

THIS EXAMPLE IS NOT THE SCALE OF YOUR MAP.

USE THE SAME PROCESS TO CALCULATE YOUR OWN AREAS.

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APPENDIX III: VEGETATION SPECIES EXPECTED AT ‘Rosedale’

Canopy Species:Botanical Name Common NameAngophora floribundaCallitris glaucophyllaCasuarina cunninghamianaEucalyptus albensEucalyptus blakelyiEucalyptus camaldulensisEucalyptus crebraEucalyptus dealbataEucalyptus melliodora

Rough-Barked AppleWhite Cypress PineRiver Oak (riparian area)White BoxBlakely’s Red GumRiver Red GumNarrow-leaved IronbarkTumbledown Red GumYellow Box

Midstorey Species:Botanical Name Common NameAcacia deaneiAcacia decoraAcacia salicinaAlectryon oleifoliusBrachychiton populneusCassinia laevisDodonaea viscosaGeijera parvifloraNotelaea macrocarpaSenna barclayana

Green WattleWestern Golden Wattle CoobaWestern RosewoodKurrajongCough BushSticky Hop BushWilgaNative OliveSmooth Senna

Groundcover Species:

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Botanical Name Common NameAristida spp.Austrostipa spp.Austrostipa verticillataAustrodanthonia spBothriochloa spp.Chloris spp.Cyperus spp.Dicanthium sericeumDigitaria spp.Eragrostis spp.Sporobolus spThemeda australisTypha sp

Wire GrassesSpear GrassesSlender Bamboo GrassWallaby GrassRed GrassesWindmill GrassesSedges (riparian area)Queensland BluegrassUmbrella & Panic GrassesLove GrassesRat’s tail GrassKangaroo GrassCumbungi (riparian area)

Source: Banks R.G. (2001). Soil Landscapes of the Tamworth 1:100 000 Sheet Report, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Sydney

APPENDIX IV: Cover page template

Cover page

2014 Property Planning Competition Entry

‘Rosedale’

Category entering: Junior/Senior

Name of school:

Name of contributing students:

Date submitted:

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