Managing natural assets on farm – Enhancing Farm Dams

Wayne & Nell Chaffey, Susan Wilson and Nicky Chirlian joined many LLS staff from across the NorthWest and New England on an excellent  workshop on 28^th & 29^th July at the  Department of Primary Industries Tamworth Agricultural Institute.

The workshop was delivered by the NorthWest LLS Sustainable Agriculture Team in collaboration with the Sustainable Farm initiative at the Australian National University. It was part of the Valuing Natural Assets on Farm project funded by the Australian Government from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate Smart Agricultural Program. The aim was to support LLS & Landcare staff, landholders, and NRM professionals to gain a better understanding of managing and monitoring natural assets on farm, and support landholders in managing their farms.

Research on farm dam data collected over twenty years was presented by ecologists Angelina Siegrist, Senior Research & Extension Officer, ANU; Amber Croft, Senior Communications & Engagement Officer, ANU; and

Nathan Gregory, Biodiversity Field Officer, ANU.

Major messages (with strong research back up) covered farm dams as biodiversity hotspots; benefits for agricultural productivity; improving water quality; reducing evaporation and increasing water persistence and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Key management actions included reducing livestock impacts by fencing off dams and building alternative watering points; revegetation; connectivity and integrating with other natural assets; and providing  a variety of habitats within the dam environment.

A field trip to Wayne and Nell Chaffey’s property “Naours” at Somerton was a highlight of very chilly day.  We viewed a 20 old dam which displayed many positive features and a new one under construction through the Landcare Australia Cocoa Cola Grant.

Excellent printed resources were provided.  For more information, please contact Project Officer, Razzaq Sarker (razzaq.sarker@lls.nsw.gov.au, 0448 095 429) and view the website https://www.sustainablefarms.org.au/