Graziers recently attended a field day at Havelock, north of Mitchell, to hear the results of a project that is monitoring and enhancing land condition and biodiversity on commercial properties in the Maranoa.
Havelock owners and managers, Bim and Susan Struss, were part of a group of graziers keen to have their property’s health and biodiversity documented independently so they had proof they were managing sustainably.
“We have retained woody vegetation over large tracts of our property, even prior to the vegetation management laws being put in place.” Mr Struss said.
“We have great pride in our property and the biodiversity values that it retains while still trying to optimise production so that we can earn a living.
“We were keen to have our biodiversity monitored by independent parties so that we could demonstrate to our markets and the broader community that we care for the environment, the plants and animals that live here, as well as the production components of our properties.
“Currently there is no financial incentive to retain native woody vegetation, but there is potential for this in the future.”
Col Paton from EcoRich Grazing helps manage the project which involves ten properties in the Maranoa.
“A group of graziers approached me some time ago to help them monitor land condition and biodiversity.
“Together with Dr Teresa Eyre, Queensland Herbarium, we were successful in obtaining funding from the federal government’s Biodiversity Fund to assist with some of the monitoring.
“This project has shown that graziers managing sustainably for good land health and grazing production outcomes are also managing for healthy biodiversity by retaining some woody vegetation in strategic locations across the properties.”
About 30 people attended the field day and heard from Dr Teresa Eyre about simple ways to manage to ensure biodiversity values of cattle properties are maintained as well as production outcomes.
They were also shown a range of pasture species, identified by Col and a variety of lizards that were caught on Havelock by Teresa and ecologists Dan Ferguson and Dr Michael Mathieson, including the shy and elusive yakka skink.
For more information email colin@ecorichgrazing.com.au
