Climate lines shift south

What effect will shifting climate lines have on farming systems and the decisions farmers make about a whole range of issues? The Bureau of Meteorology’s newly-appointed general manager of agriculture, Cindy Cassidy speaking at the Australian Farm Institute’s Conservation Agriculture in 2030 Online Conference, suggested that as climate change shifts Australia’s weather patterns southwards, producers should be adjusting their farming systems and considering where they might be farming in the future.  She said most farmers took a long term, generational perspective to planning, which meant that in 30 years’ time they could expect conditions on their farm to be what they currently are 180 kilometres to the north.  Further details are available at Beef Central.

 

Podcasts on Sustainable Vegetation Management

Territory Natural Resource Management (TRNM) recently launched their Sustainable Pastoral Business Program to provide guidance and support to cattle producers to strengthen and develop their natural resource capacity. Two Podcasts are now available from the TNRM website:

  • Dionne Walsh, Rangelands Program Manager at NT Department of Primary Industries and Resources, discusses sustainable vegetation managementand covers tools for producers and land managers to get the best environmental and economic out comes for their properties.
  • Professor Jenny Davis, Director of the Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods at Charlies Darwin University, discusses Northern Territory waterholes and what makes them special.

 

What’s happening in the SA Arid Lands

Check out the latest issues of the Across the Outback newsletter for an update on the current work and future directions of the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board.  There are some very interesting projects underway including a study of mulga dieback during drought, a Building Pastoral Sustainability (BPS) Project and a Coongie Wetland Wonders Project.  An outline of the Federal Government’s most recent Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan is also given in the October issue.

 

2021 National Landcare Conference Webinar Series

As there was no 2020 National Landcare Conference, organisers decided to organise a webinar series to maintain momentum until the 2021 Conference.  Four webinar recordings are available on the Landcare Australia website:

  • Landcare as a business – a strategic approach
  • Landcare farming program
  • Recruiting and engaging volunteers
  • Interventions to improve soil health in Australia

 

Rangelands Activities in the West

The WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) newsletter, the Rangelands Memo, always contains some great articles on what is happening in the Western Australian rangelands.  The most recent issue (July 2020) is no exception, including information on offline mobile map apps, drought and resilience in the WA rangelands, bringing soils back to life through waterponding and termite mounds to name a few.  Look out for the next issue coming out soon.

 

2021 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program

Applications for the 2021 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship Program are now open. Students entering their final two years of an undergraduate degree who are passionate about the future of Australian rural industries are encouraged to apply. The Program is open to students studying agriculture-related or STEM degrees with major studies and/or subject selections that align to agriculture. Scholarship recipients will be selected on the basis of their commitment to a career in agriculture, as well as their leadership potential and tertiary academic record to date. Further information is available at www.agrifutures.com.au/horizon.  Applications close Friday, 15 January 2021

 

Are you looking for a job in the livestock industry but don’t know where to start?

Sheep Central recently published a great article giving tips and resources for those looking to launch a career in the livestock industry, particularly at the entry level.  Check out the article here.

 

Latest news from Environment SA

Did you know that new environmental works have been carried out recently to deliver landscape-scale watering events to support the health and resilience of the Pike and Katarapko floodplains in the SA Riverland?  Or that there is a 350 site bushland biodiversity monitoring program on Eyre Peninsula?  Discover more about these projects and other SA Department of Environment and Water projects by checking the latest news here.

 

Wild dog baiting workshops held in SA

In June 2020, the Federal Government launched the new National Wild Dog Action Plan (NWDAP) 2020-30, the blueprint for humane, best practice wild dog management.  As part of this plan, a number of workshops were recently held in the South Australian rangelands to support organic producers access to the latest knowledge to effectively carry out wild dog control measures while remaining compliant with the Australian and United States’ Departments of Agriculture organic certification programs.  Read more here.

 

101 ways to holiday in Australia

With domestic travel restrictions continuing to ease across the country, Australians are being encouraged to holiday at home this year and also to consider the gift of travel this festive season.  If you are looking for some inspiration, why not have a read of Tourism Australia’s 101 Ways to Holiday in Australia.  Many of these holidays involve a visit to the rangelands including several described in 10 Road Trips that will make you proud to be Australian.

 

Radio Telescope conducts first survey of the entire southern sky

A world-leading radio telescope has conducted its first survey of the entire southern sky in record speed and detail, creating a new atlas of the Universe.  CSIRO’s Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) mapped approximately three million galaxies in just 300 hours using its key feature, a wide field of view.  This record-breaking result proves that an all-sky survey can be done in weeks rather than years, opening new opportunities for discovery.  Read more here.