RAIN WELCOMES SUSTAINABLE GRAZING FORUM
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday 1 June 2010
RAIN WELCOMES SUSTAINABLE GRAZING FORUM
23-37 mm of rain across the region in the days leading up to the event did not dampen the enthusiasm of the attendees at the Channel Country Sustainable Grazing Forum that was held in Jundah on the 26th and 27th May 2010.
“Landholders took the opportunity to share their grazing management techniques and hear from experts on a number of current Channel Country issues,” said Desert Channels Queensland (DCQ) Industry Liaison Officer, Colleen James, who organised the event.
David Phelps from Agri-Science Queensland spoke about his Churchill Scholarship world study tour to USA, Argentina, Brazil, Namibia and Mongolia and the relationship between our grazing management practices and what we can learn from graziers in other countries.
“Poor land condition can be restored, even in a desert environment with critical pasture rest,” said David. “Delaying floodplain grazing and the right stocking rate is crucial.”
Information about sustainability, land condition and best practice grazing land management was drawn from international and local floodplain and ‘outside country’ pasture systems.
Jerry Maroulis of the University of Southern Queensland has been researching the geomorphology of the channels for 20 years and gave a presentation on his studies of the Channel Country landforms and landscapes.
‘Rotational Grazing on Bunuro Station’ with David Rankine and ‘Managing Feral Pigs’ with QMDC’s Darren Marshall were other topics that were well received by attendees of the forum.
The paddock tour of Glen Valley Station showed what Herb and Sue George have been doing with their management of fragile floodplains in partnership with DCQ.
“Maintaining out tree-grass balance and reducing grazing pressure are some of the outcomes we are working towards with our fencing and spreading of waters,” said Sue.
Tony Townsend gave an informative and practical presentation on the control of class 2 pests in our region. Drawing on his 20 years of experience as a professional dog trapper and howler, he provided a practical demonstration on wild dog trapping.
“If you do your research and know where and how to lay the trap, you will have a far greater chance of trapping that problem dog and reducing stock losses,” said Tony.
Tony’s presentation led into the Wild Dog Forum where Peter Lucas gave producers an overview on the successful progress that the Paroo and Murweh Shires have had over the past few years in regards to wild dog control.
“Graziers working together and strategically managing wild dog control have been very successful in our region,” said Peter.
The Wild Dog Forum also drew on the experiences of John Cuskelly, the State Wild Dog Coordinator, Mandy Cartwright, AgForce South West Regional Manager and the Barcoo Shire & Diamantina Shire Rural Lands Officer, Peter Pidgeon.
The Channel Country Sustainable Grazing Forum was an initiative of the Desert Channels Landholder Support Service Project and is funded by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government’s Blueprint for the Bush Program.
For more information please contact Colleen James at DCQ on 07 4652 7826 or email colleen.james@dcq.org.au. Check out the web page: www.dcq.org.au.
ENDS
