RESTORING DEGRADED ENVIRONMENTS
These days, maintaining the environmental health of our lands is increasingly valued, however some past management practices have created significant land degradation. Some examples include:
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Clearing of vegetation on steep slopes, leading to slump soils and erosion
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Clearing of vegetation besides waterways, and allowing stock free access to waterways, leading to a decline in waterway health
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Removal of sheltering vegetation from cropping or grazing paddocks, leading to loss of productivity and concerns for the welfare of grazing animals
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Over grazing and soil compaction leading to unhealthy soils
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Use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers that pollute and deplete our natural ecosystems.
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Thankfully, many excellent resources are now available to landholders who wish to address these problems.
Cradle Coast NRM is a good starting point if you want to learn about sustainable agriculture; property planning for native vegetation, birds and threatened species; healthy soils ... and much more.
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Bass Coast LandCare Network (Victoria) has several excellent, short videos on the basics of regenerative agriculture.
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NATIVE SPECIES PLANTING AND SHELTER BELTS
Planting species native to the Kentish area provides habitat for many birds, animals and insects; shelter for domestic animals on farms, and for humans ... and the result is beautiful!
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Native Plant Selection for Kentish [View PDF]
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Shelter belts are particularly important for working farms. Why?
Establishing good shelter belts takes time and resources, but research shows that significant improvements in profitability and sustainability will follow.
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Native Shelter Belts for North West Tasmania [View PDF]
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SOILS
Looking for information on soils and farms? We highly recommend Soils Alive! [below] as the place to start. This resource, first published by DPIPWE in 2010, provides comprehensive, scientifically-based information on soils and ecosystems, and the importance of soil health to sustainable agriculture.
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Slump soils are common in NW Tasmania. Find out how to identify them and how to manage them:
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