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PROJECT NO. |
229 |
Project Title
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Assessing the value of trees in sustainable grazing
systems |
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Project Leader
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Chris
Chilcott |
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Organisation |
NRM |
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Funding
Body |
MLA
/ RIRDC |
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Administration
Contact |
Chris
Chilcott NRM Ph:
07 3896 9709 Fax: 07 3896 9843 |
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Commencement
Date |
1
July 2002 |
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Completion
Date |
30
June 2005 |
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Research
Proposal Summary |
The beneficial effects of trees in Queensland woodlands
(pasture quality, micro-climate, cycles of water, carbon, nutrient, and
biodiversity) have proved more difficult to measure and model than the
competitive effects. Hence, up to
now, these beneficial effects have been treated only in a qualitative
manner. This proposed project will
directly address the need for quantification of the beneficial effects of
trees and provide a scientific underpinning for developing policy and
decision support systems with regard to tree retention, salinity and carbon
sequestration. |
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Aims |
§ Establish demonstration sites on
4 properties in southern Queensland that will measure the beneficial and
competitive effects of trees on the surrounding grazing system by December
2002. § To collate and review field
measurements and observations of graziers and past scientific investigation
on tree and regrowth effects on pasture and animal production. § Modify existing modelling
capacity to better account for the beneficial and competitive effects of
trees in grazing systems, including effects of varying stand density on
micro-climate, soil water and nutrient uptake processes (in particular, tree
water use and deep drainage) and pasture production and nutritional quality. § Use the models with graziers to
evaluate the impact of different tree and regrowth management on the grazing
system in terms of productivity and sustainability. §
Develop
practical guidelines and, extension materials and decision support tools on
tree and regrowth management for beef producers |
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Potential
Outcomes |
Graziers need to equip themselves
to operate under new arrangements such as the National Action Plan for Salinity
and Water Quality, environmental management and accreditation systems, and
emerging issues such as biodiversity and carbon trading. The onus will
increasingly fall on rural industries to demonstrate their impacts, both
positive and negative, on landscapes and catchments, and to develop
management plans. Through this
project we will develop the following products and services that can meet
these demands on industry: § new module in the Grazing Land
Management (GLM) education package § field sites and demonstration
activities § producer level publication on
designing regrowth retention in southern Queensland § DSS tool (GIS based) to assist
on-property planning of vegetation retention §
additional
information into the GRASP production model, outputs currently being used in
GLM, AussieGrass and PaddockGrasp. |
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Milestones |
MILESTONES DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT ACHIEVEMENT CRITERIA 1 Start
Date 1 July 2002 2 Milestone Report 1 30 December 2002 1.
Establishment
of field sites, 2.
Initial
data collection. 3.
Modelling
workshop completed and reviewed 3 Budget Report as at 30 June 2003 31 July 2003 Report received and accepted by MLA 4 Milestone Report 2 30 December 2003 1.
Compilation
and review of first 1.5 years data 2.
Completion
of tree water use and drainage measurements at Jandowae 3.
Initial
modelling output and decision support tools. 4.
Modelling
workshop completed and reviewed 5 Budget Report as at 30 June 2004 31 July 2004 Report received and accepted by MLA 6 Final report 30 June 2005 1.
Compilation
and review of field data collection at all sites 2.
Final
field days completed. 3.
Decision
support tools and practical guidelines developed for graziers 4.
Completion
of review of GLM tree/grass management module, and incorporation of new
insights. 5.
Final
modelling workshop completed and reviewed |
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Budget |
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 TOTAL $ $ $ 2002-05 Salaries
and on costs 155,757 158,528 171,444 485,729 Travel 13,250 16,250 15,000 44,500 Operating 95,800 78,950 62,750 237,500 Capital
(equipment) 44,400 28,000 0 72,400 TOTAL
BUDGET (excl.
GST) 309,207 281,728 249,194 840,129 Funding
Breakdown MLA 100,000 96,830 78,860 280,348 Other
Contributors (please
list) RIRDC 25,000 25,000 25,000 75,000 Research
& Other Organisations (in kind) NR&M 156,207 131,898 117,334 405,439 Industry
groups 28,000 28,000 28,000 84,000 |
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Staff % /
year Chris Chilcott Beverley Henry Greg McKeon Joe Scanlan Mark Silburn &
Contributions |
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Prior
Provision of IP & Rights of Ownership |
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Ownership,
equity in and use of IP to be developed |
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Rights
of Publication |
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Strategic
Plan KRA Area |
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Relevance
to Strategic Plan |
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