SUMMER 2014 ISSUE

www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges

Word in the paddock is that rabbits have been breeding, well, like rabbits!

Rabbits are an introduced species that:

• reduce plant biodiversity by eating seedlings and small plants

• reduce animal biodiversity by competing with native animals for food and shelter

• increase the risk of soil erosion by removing plant cover

• damage crops

• compete with livestock for feed and therefore reduce the carrying capacity of farms.

Rabbits don’t discriminate between your garden patch in an urban environment and your livestock paddock in a rural environment. They cause significant environmental damage and a 2004 report into the cost of invasive animals estimated they cost Australian farmers more than $110 million annually.

Where do I start? Effective rabbit control requires an integrated approach using two or more control methods that suit your property. Have a think about what options are best for your land, your purpose and your surroundings.

Plan to conduct your control methods at the right time and across the whole home range of the infestation for your best chance of success.

When do I start thinking about rabbit control? • Plan for rabbit control in summer.

• Implement control methods in late summer, before breeding starts and when feed availability is limited.

TALKSMALL

Bunny round-up: The latest in rabbit controlTaryn Mangelsdorf, Sustainable Agriculture Officer, Natural Resources AMLR

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

02 Case study: Landholders consider sustainability for fencing

04 Koonunga sustainability and biodiversity project

06 Lucy in the sky with … Landcare

06 Stay in touch with natural resources management in our region

07 Events

07 Contact us

08 Handy hint – Stock water

08 Things to do – Summer

Natural resources management is: caring for our land, water, plants and animals – balancing people’s needs with those of nature.

Continued page 3

02 | Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges

SMALL TALK

Property manager John West. Photo: Andy Cole Fence end assembly. Photo: Andy Cole

Fences are an essential part of most rural properties, even if only along the boundary, so landholders usually select suitable, and cost-effective, materials for constructing fences. For an ever-increasing number of landholders, the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable materials is also a consideration.

Local farm manager John West, his wife Jan and their son Sam moved into their 70-hectare grazing property at Forreston 18 months ago. They are developing it with long-term sustainable land management in mind and fence post are parts of their considerations.

Working closely with the Upper Torrens Land Management Program, and with financial incentives from Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, they drew up a property plan with a list of objectives which included:

• sub-dividing paddocks for better grazing

• establishing windbreaks

• revegetating in appropriate areas

• excluding livestock from watercourses

• managing pastures and controlling weeds.

Many of these activities mean constructing new fences, but John could see that a number of the traditional wooden posts on the property, many less than 25 years old, were splitting and snapping off at ground level, so he investigated the alternatives.

With an estimated 7 km of fencing to be constructed across the property, he was looking for posts that would at least match the life of the wire, which can be 50+ years. John selected ‘plastic coated’ fence posts, which he expects to last at least that long.

For many years most posts used in farm fences and vineyard trellises have been treated timber fence posts, most commonly with the preservative copper chrome arsenate (CCA). It is very effective in protecting timber from termites, wood bores, molluscs and decay by soft rot fungi and bacteria. The debate continues on the environmental impacts of using these treated posts, but there is general agreement on the problems of disposing of obsolete posts. It is illegal to burn any materials containing CCA because of the release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, and they should not be mulched. Hence posts are commonly stockpiled but an estimated 60% of posts could be re-used, with the remainder earmarked for landfill.

In recent years some landowners have preferred to use creosote preserved posts. The creosote discourages animals from chewing them and so prevents possible harmful effects to individual animals and reduces likely fence damage. However, creosote, or coal tar creosote, can in certain situations be harmful to the environment.

Wooden posts are also flammable and even

Case study: Landholders consider sustainability for fencing

Landholders: Jan and Sam West

Farm manager: John West

Property location: Forreston

Property size: 70 ha (175 acres)

Current enterprise: Grazing beef cattle and sheep

Average annual rainfall: 800 mm

Features: The moderate to steep rolling hills of this property are incised by watercourses that join Millers Creek. Soils are fertile and support improved and native grass pastures. A number of dams supply water for livestock and numerous established eucalypts offer shelter and shade for cattle and sheep.

Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges | 03

SMALL TALK

Continued from page 1

What control options do I have? Natural Resources, Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges recommends a number of methods for controlling rabbits.

Harbour removal Rabbits shelter in woodpiles, rocks, haystacks and vegetation. Shelter is critical to their survival, for breeding and for protection from predators.

Remove their shelter by controlling weeds, trimming back vegetation and relocating materials like wood and bricks, to ~50 cm off the ground.

Warren ripping Warrens are ripped using a blade on a bulldozer to make underground tunnels collapse. Target individual warrens or rip an area in a cross-hatch pattern.

Take the blade approximately 1 metre into the ground and extend the cross-hatch grid pattern approximately 2 metres past the last entrance.

After ripping an area, level out the site to ensure warren destruction, discourage rabbit recolonisation and reduce erosion risk.

Baiting Pindone bait is the only poison bait that can be used in the urban environment, and only for properties larger than 1000 square metres. It is available through Natural Resources Offices as Pindone-coated diced carrots during summer, and through most agricultural supply retailers as Pindone oats. Both baits require 3 doses, approximately 5 days apart to be effective.

Trapping Trapping is more suited to an urban area but is labour and time intensive, and isn’t effective in reducing high numbers quickly. Check traps frequently and destroy rabbits humanely.

Biological control Myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease are the two types of biological control agents in Australia. Their effectiveness depends on a number of environmental factors. They will spread naturally through an area when conditions are right but no reliable methods can predict their impact and timing. When they do occur, implement other control methods to increase their effectiveness.

Fumigation Fumigation is an option if the location of a warren is known and rabbits are inside. Use an appropriately qualified licensed operation to ensure the safety and effectiveness of fumigation.

Next stepsAfter assessment of the best options and implementation, follow-up and repeat the control methods in subsequent seasons for continual management of the rabbit population.

Rabbits don’t know your property boundary, so chat to your neighbour about how you can control the rabbit population together!

Please contact your local Natural Resources Office (see page 7) for further information, advice and assistance in planning your rabbit control program. This includes the removal of native vegetation.

small grass fires can cause the loss of fence posts with considerable repair costs.

Steel posts have the advantage of being inflammable and can be driven into the ground easily, but in particular circumstances rusting and corrosion can reduce their life considerably. Even concrete can suffer environmental damage over time, and both steel and concrete generate large quantities of greenhouse gases during their manufacture.

Using plastic posts made from recycled materials such as old and obsolete irrigation piping, has proven popular on some properties, especially when building electric fences since the use of insulators is greatly reduced and construction costs are thus lower.

The new plastic coated fence posts that John selected are produced in a process that begins with machining untreated pine timber posts. The posts are then fully sealed with a protective plastic coat (up to 6 mm thick) recycled from obsolete dripper tube/irrigation pipe. Instead of preserving the timber with chemicals, the plastic protects the wood from rot, borers and termites, and both wood and plastic are recyclable. The coats include thick end caps which enable the posts to be hydraulically driven into the ground.

After the posts’ long life, they can be stripped of the plastic, which can be recycled, and the chemical free wood used for other purposes.

Constructing new fences is now well underway at Forreston using these fence posts. John is pleased with the results to date and can see many benefits.

‘The polymer surrounding the post is stable, and friendlier to my soil,’ John said. ‘They don’t rust or rot.’

John said the cost is comparable to some chemically treated wood posts. He also expects these posts to withstand a low heat grass fire due to their fire resistant properties.

For John, they are ‘lighter and easier to manage’ than traditional wooden posts, and their uniform structure makes general handling and alignment much easier. And there’s no problem inserting nails, staples and insulators.

An added benefit for John is that fencing is less labour intensive, and what was often a two-person job is now comfortably done by one person, without having to rely on a tractor.

Please make enquiries for assistance to the Upper Torrens Land Management Program, Mt Pleasant on 8568 1876.

Further information on plastic coated fence posts can be found at www.woodshield.com.au

Bunny round-up

04 | Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges

SMALL TALK

Koonunga and community members at Kleinig Ebenezer scrub during a biodiversity workshop. Photo: David Woodard

An ongoing project is empowering the people of Koonunga and surrounding areas to create a sustainable farming community.

The project, conducted by the Koonunga Agricultural Bureau, is helping to improve soil health and water management, enhance biodiversity and sustainability, and promote community engagement and awareness.

Koonunga, and the surrounding districts of Ebenezer, Moppa, Stockwell, St Kitts and Kalimna, are developing skills to investigate local issues, design and trial new techniques, discuss and evaluate methods, and learn from local and invited expertise in their district.

In its first year of operation the project has set a firm foundation to build on.

Soil healthVineyards and broadacre areas in the district have a plethora of soil health issues. Those identified were soil and water salinity, soil sodicity, non-wetting sands, compaction, low organic carbon and water

holding capacity, poor drainage, erosion, irrigation practices and soil acidity.

Soil investigations tested a range of soil types and locations, comparing poor performing areas to better growth areas to determine causal factors.

In its first year of operation the project has set a firm foundation to build on.

Samples from layers down the profile from both types of areas were analysed. The results confirmed the problems expected but also identified new and unexpected problems.

Differences between comparison sites were often subtle and included factors that in combination were contributing to poorer growth.

In some areas, low organic carbon levels in the topsoil, indicating low soil organic matter levels, combined with low plant feeder roots activity, and thus biological activity, to reduce plant vigour.

Koonunga sustainability and biodiversity project David Woodard, Rural Solutions

At other sites, surface and sub-surface soil acidity had pH values of below 5 in calcium chloride solution. The low pH was affecting nutrient availability and plant growth.

Some sites had high sodic clay layers in the sub-soil restricting root growth and moisture infiltration, and thus net water availability. In other cases, sodicity was causing waterlogging, restricting root growth. High boron levels, likely to be toxic to plants, were found at some sites, which would restrict root growth. High boron was often found with elevated soil salinity in deeper subsoil layers.

With the facts at hand, the next step was to develop solutions through trials and demonstrations.

A rate of lime site was established on an acidic site to monitor the effect of application level on surface and sub-surface pH levels.

In a vineyard site, members established an extensive demonstration using mulches and composts with various application methods and rates, liming, additional irrigation

Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges | 05

SMALL TALK

Robert Lowke and Glen Becker of Ebenezer and Peter Kleinig of Koonunga (l–r) inspect Ebenezer subsoil modification plots sown to field peas. Photo: David Woodard

Brett Nietschke of Koonunga at the establishment of the lime application rate trial on the Nietschke family property. Photo: David Woodard

treatment, sub-soil treatments and a dung beetle treatment to address low surface organic matter, low pH and heavy textured sub-soil issues.

The project established a number of sub-soil modification sites following some Victorian research which had identified the dramatic effect on productivity of adding composts and manures to clay sub-soils. Sodic and heavy textured clay sites were treated using the technique in broadacre and vineyard areas.

This proof of concept work may take a number of seasons for the soil biology to work on the deposited materials and improve the structure of the surrounding clay, as it did in Victoria.

BiodiversityThe biodiversity component focused on improving understanding and management of local biodiversity (including priority Peppermint Box grassy woodlands), revegetating with appropriate species and enhancing the remaining remnant vegetation and ecosystems.

A number of in-field workshops identified the range of vegetation systems in the district and viewed the changes of diversity by land type. Members visited grasslands, riparian areas, Peppermint Box grassy woodlands and native pine shrub lands all in close proximity to each other.

The workshops identified the flora and associated birdlife in each vegetation type, which enabled participants to see the value of biodiversity in their district. Special highlights were seeing some rare native orchids, and viewing and hearing about the range of birdlife in each vegetation type.

CommunityThe community engagement and awareness component encourages the adoption of new research and best practice for the district, working together and communicating with all landholders, and maintaining the culture of ‘looking out’ for the neighbours.

The project also helped coordinate activities with other projects including the Northern Rivers management project (Light River component). Neighbouring members have now rehabilitated a length of an eroded and poorly vegetated section of creekline by fencing and re-establishing vegetation by tube stock and direct seeding local species.

More informationFor further information contact David Woodard PIRSA Rural Solutions 0417 803 525 or Jamie Nietschke, Koonunga Agricultural Bureau 0427 619 840.

06 | Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges

SMALL TALK

Lucy in the sky with … LandcareLucy Hyde introduces herself and her new role as our Regional Landcare Facilitator

Stay in touch with natural resources management in our region

an inevitable interest in the natural environment. I completed a Bachelor of Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Adelaide in 2013, and also, through university, took a six-month internship working under Gerry Butler at the Upper Torrens Land Management Project. This placement gave me a great insight into the work involved in the natural resources management field, especially at a grass-roots level where staff were out in the field working alongside local landholders.

As the RLF for such a wonderfully diverse region, my primary aim is to increase community awareness of the value of our natural resources and the importance of sustainable agriculture. I hope to facilitate knowledge and skill development in this area. I will be engaging with our region’s Landcare groups, farming or grower groups, and community groups that have a focus on sustainable agriculture. Within Natural Resources AMLR, I will be working closely with staff from our Sustainable Agriculture, Coast and Marine, and Community Engagement teams, as well as regional landcare facilitators from the other regions in SA.

Outside of work I like to keep busy. I love sports and for the last four years I have been a volunteer at one of our SANFL clubs

Your natural resources management (NRM) region, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, is one of eight NRM regions established in South Australia under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004. It includes metropolitan Adelaide and the western side of the Mount Lofty Ranges, extending from Mallala and the Barossa in the north, to Fleurieu Peninsula in the south. The region extends up to 30 km into the marine environment. The total area of approximately 11,200 square kilometres, is 59% land and 41% marine waters.

The region is the most biologically diverse in South Australia, home to half of the state’s species of native plants and three-

I began my role as the Regional Landcare Facilitator in May this year and am currently located in the offices at Cleland with staff from our Land, Marine and Biodiversity branch.

Following a childhood consisting of holidays in Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula, Flinders Ranges and various other rural areas of our state and country, I developed

as a qualified sports massage therapist for their medical team. I am also a keen hockey player and a member of the Forestville Hockey Club for 15 years. It makes for a very busy winter! During the warmer months I enjoy running, bushwalking and spending time down at my family’s home in Normanville. And if you ever catch me looking glassy-eyed, I’m probably planning my next holiday in my head.

I am very excited to have the opportunity to support the various communities of the AMLR region and am looking forward to meeting and working with many more community and industry members in months to come. If you ever have any questions about the AMLR Sustainable Agriculture program, the new National Landcare Program, or any of the events we are running in the region, please do not hesitate to ask me – if I can’t give you the answer, I’ll find someone who can!

Lucy Hyde Regional Landcare Facilitator AMLR Region

W: 08 8130 9066 M: 0408 678 890 E: lucy.hyde@sa.gov.au A: Southern Lofty Office

Summit Road Crafers SA 5152

quarters of its native birds. It also contains some of the state’s most productive primary industries supplying local and international markets and contributing to South Australia’s economic and social wellbeing.

Keep in touch with events and information about natural resources in Adelaide and the Mt Lofty Ranges by ‘liking’ our Facebook page (Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board) or through our website, www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges. Watch our informative videos on YouTube, www.youtube.com/user/amlrnrmboard, or drop in to, or contact us at, the Natural Resource Centres listed on page 7.

Lucy Hyde, Regional Landcare Facilitator. Photo: Melissa Pettigrew

KAPUNDAWILD HORSE PLAINS

ADELAIDE

GAWLER

NURIOOTPA

VICTOR HARBOR

MURRAY BRIDGE

PORT WAKEFIELD

MANNUM

GOOLWA

MALLALA

VIRGINIA

LOBETHAL

ANGASTON

PENNESHAW

YANKALILLA

STRATHALBYN

CAPE JERVIS

MOUNT BARKER

McLAREN VALE

ALDINGA BEACH

0 9 184.5Kil ometers

AMLR region

Major roadNatural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges region map Copyright © Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources 2013. Al l Rights Reserved. All

works and information displayed are subject to Copyright. For the reproduction or publication beyondthat permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwl th) wri tten permission must be sought from theDepartment. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information displayed,the Department, its agents, officers and employees make no representations, either express or implied,that the information displayed is accurate or fi t for any purpose and expressly disclaims al l l iabil ity forloss or damage arising from reliance upon the information displayed.

Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges | 07

SMALL TALK

EventsSupported by your NRM Levy Upcoming events can be found at www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges under Education: Landholder education and training. If you would like Natural Resources staff to run a specific field day for your organisation, please get in touch with us on any of the numbers listed in the column on the right.

Contact us

NATURAL RESOURCES CENTRES

Head office205 Greenhill Road Eastwood SA 5063 (08) 8273 9100 DEWNR.AMLR@sa.gov.au

Gawler office8 Adelaide Road Gawler SA 5118 (08) 8523 7700 gawler.office@sa.gov.au

Lobethal office1 Adelaide Lobethal Road Lobethal SA 5241 (08) 8389 5900 lobethal.office@sa.gov.au

Willunga office5 Aldinga Road Willunga SA 5172 (08) 8550 3400 willunga.office@sa.gov.au

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE OFFICERS

Taryn MangelsdorfGawler (08) 8523 7703 or 0427 188 125 taryn.mangelsdorf@sa.gov.au

Jodie PainWillunga (08) 8550 3405 or 0400 294 676 jodie.pain@sa.gov.au

REGIONAL LANDCARE FACILITATOR

Lucy Hyde(08) 8130 9066 or 0408 678 890 lucy.hyde@sa.gov.au

COMMUNITY-RUN NATURAL RESOURCE CENTRES

Mount Pleasant132 Melrose St Mount Pleasant SA 5235 (08) 8568 1907 mpnrc@bigpond.com

Willunga Environment Centre18 High St Willunga SA 5172 (08) 8556 4188 willungaenviro@westnet.com.au

Normanville3/50 Main Road Normanville SA 5204 (08) 8558 3644 info@nnrc.com.au

Victor Harbor41 Victoria Street Victor Harbor SA 5211 (08) 8552 0301

Adelaide Hills1 Crescent Drive Norton Summit SA 5136 (08) 8390 1891 valhunt@ahnrc.org

GawlerLocated at Service Area Hub 8 Adelaide Road Gawler SA 5118 (08) 8523 7700 admin@nrcgawler.org.au

Managing watercoursesMarch Gawler River (Jessica Cavallo, Gawler Office)

Workshop

FencingMarch Nuriootpa (Chris Madigan, Gawler Office)

Course

Introduction to rural land management, $75March Gawler (Taryn Mangelsdorf, Gawler Office)

Introduction to rural bush management, $75March Gawler (Taryn Mangelsdorf, Gawler Office)

Managing animals on small acreages, freeMarch Balhannah (Lobethal Office)

Field day

Rabbit and fox control and management February Encounter Bay (Tim Parkinson, Willunga Office) Willunga (Jacqui Best, Willunga Office)

Urban and peri-urban weed control optionsFebruary Angle Vale (Brooke Kerin, Gawler Office) Photo: Jodie Pain

Handy hint – Stock water

Things to do – Summer• Soil test if you are planning a new pasture project in 2015, or if it has been more than

5 years since the last test.

• Ensure you have cleared long grass and rubbish away from your house, sheds and

equipment in preparation for the fire season.

• If collecting native plant seed from roadsides, obtain permission from the relevant

local government authority.

• Summer is ideal for rabbit baiting. Contact your local Natural Resources Office

for further advice.

• Maintain adequate ground cover (>70%) in grazing paddocks.

• Avoid sand colic in horses by feeding in appropriate feed bins or on grassed areas.

• Frequently check and clean your stock watering points.

• Review stock numbers now and assess your pasture and stocking rate.

www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

For comments, enquiries or submissions to Small Talk, or for back issues contact:

Jodie Pain Sustainable Agriculture Officer

Natural Resources Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources PO Box 781 Willunga SA 5172 (08) 8550 3405 or 0400 294 676 jodie.pain@sa.gov.au

TALKSMALL

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Small Talk is produced by Natural Resources, Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges. This publication is funded by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board and partially funded by the Australian Government.

Help Small Talk be greener If you would like to receive Small Talk via email

please contact DEWNR.AMLR@sa.gov.au

Small Talk can also be found on the website www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges

Round polyethylene horse trough. Photo: Tarli Della Torre

Ideally dams and watercourses should be fenced off from livestock so they can no longer access water directly from these sources. A reticulated watering system with a header tank and troughs is generally accepted as the most efficient way to supply stock with water.

Water troughs come in many types and sizes. Whether landholders use troughs made of polyethylene or concrete, depends largely on circumstances and personal preference. Concrete troughs are solid and resist damage from large animals, especially if the ball float is protected, but they can crack in time, and are heavy and difficult to move around.

Polyethylene troughs are light and animals are less likely to injure themselves. They can also be shifted easily to supply short-term water when creating temporary paddocks.

A reticulated watering system with a header tank and troughs is generally accepted as the most efficient way to supply stock with water.

In either case, troughs should be deep and large enough to supply the needs of all animals in the paddock. Round troughs are quite popular for small horse properties since they allow good access by a number of horses at any one time.