2014 SCHOOLS PROPERTY PLANNING
COMPETITION
The Schools Property Planning Competition will be run in 2014 by North West Local
Land Services for schools in the north western region of NSW. With contributions and
assistance from many organisations, this competition will again be an excellent
opportunity for school students to learn about agriculture and the environment.
The winning entries will include the most realistic and useful property plans for
sustainable management of the host property this year, “Rosedale”. Winner and runner
up individuals and teams (plus their teachers) will be presented with prizes in a special
ceremony at Ag-Quip 2014.
Timetable for 2014
Wednesday
18th
February:
Property Planning Competition Launch
Wednesday 18th February:
Resources sent on a CD and will be available on
the web at http://northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au
Wednesday 5th March:
Field Day at “Rosedale” Currabubula
7th – 13th March:
Tutorials in schools around the catchment
Monday 26th May:
The two best entries per class due for marking. Post
to: Col Easton, North West LLS, PO Box 528,
Tamworth NSW 2340
Wednesday 20th August:
Award Ceremony at Ag-Quip, Gunnedah
Have you downloaded our Ground
Cover app for iPhones and Android
devices? It may help at the field day!
Go to:
www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au/395590.html
Disclaimer
This manual has been prepared by North West Local Land Services staff for the
purposes of the 2014 Schools Property Planning Competition. Information included in
this manual may be fictitious to be used only as part of the competition.
North West Local Land Services accepts no responsibility for any person acting on, or
relying on, or upon any opinion, advice, representation, statement or information
expressed or implied in or from the manual.
1
Contents
INTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERS ........................................................................... 3
DEVELOPING YOUR PROPERTY PLAN ................................................................. 4
PROPERTY INFORMATION – ‘ROSEDALE’........................................................... 5
1.
History and Current Enterprises.......................................................................... 5
2.
Landholder’s Goals ............................................................................................. 6
STOCKTAKE OF RESOURCES ................................................................................. 7
1.
Land Use, Maps and Measuring Area................................................................. 7
2.
Contours and Drainage ....................................................................................... 7
3.
Current Infrastructure and Water Resources ....................................................... 7
4.
Soil Landscapes .................................................................................................. 8
5.
Soil Salinity....................................................................................................... 10
6.
Land Capability Classes .................................................................................... 11
7.
Vegetation and Habitat Areas ........................................................................... 12
8.
Climate .............................................................................................................. 13
9.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Photos from ‘Rosedale’................................................................................................ 15
MANAGING THE RESOURCES .............................................................................. 16
1.
Specific Issues ................................................................................................... 16
2.
Legal Obligations .............................................................................................. 17
PUTTING THE PLAN TOGETHER .......................................................................... 18
1.
Specific Works .................................................................................................. 18
2.
Management Recommendations ....................................................................... 19
3.
Monitoring ........................................................................................................ 20
THE PLAN AND REPORT ........................................................................................ 22
1.
The Physical Plan .............................................................................................. 22
2.
The Report ........................................................................................................ 22
EXTRA RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 23
1.
Expertise ........................................................................................................... 23
2.
Funding Opportunities ...................................................................................... 23
3.
Other relevant organisations and websites ........................................................ 23
APPENDIX I: MARKING SCHEDULE .................................................................... 24
APPENDIX II: THE DOT GRID ................................................................................ 25
APPENDIX III: VEGETATION SPECIES EXPECTED AT ‘Rosedale’ ................... 27
APPENDIX IV: Cover page template ......................................................................... 28
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INTRODUCTION FOR TEACHERS
The Property Planning Competition is designed to give students an opportunity to study
a local rural property in detail. The students are required to prepare a plan that provides
for long term profitability as well as sustaining the natural resources of the area.
The exercise draws together a number of land management themes and gives students
the chance to apply their skills and knowledge to a real-life situation. The field day on
Wednesday 5th March will provide an opportunity for students to participate in a range
of activities and to engage with relevant government and industry experts.
Tutorials
After the field day, North West LLS staff will be available to run tutorials at schools
who are participating. The aim of the tutorials is to help students learn and produce the
best property plan they can.
Please contact Col Easton by email: col.easton@lls.nsw.gov.au or ph: 6764 5940
fax: 6764 5995 as to your school’s availability to host or attend as a guest.
Syllabus Links
The Schools Property Planning Competition has been designed to address numerous
outcomes of TAFE Agriculture courses, the School Certificate and HSC Agriculture
syllabus, particularly the Farm Case Study unit. Links can also be made to the HSC
Geography syllabus and the VET Primary Industries curriculum.
Because the activity has been structured to accommodate students studying a range of
subjects and abilities, teachers will need to determine the depth of study undertaken. A
marking schedule is provided in Appendix I, which will be used to judge entries
submitted.
Getting Started
Resources provided are sufficient for students to work in small groups or individually.
All material will print out clearly in black and white, but colour may make some things
clearer. Each student group should be given a copy of the relevant chapters and maps
available. In addition, students should access other resources from libraries, government
departments or the Internet (suggested websites are included throughout this document).
To participate in the Schools Property Planning Competition you need to:
 Download the manual, maps and other information from Namoi CMA’s website or
the CD provided to your school
 Follow the prompts from: http://northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au
 Attend the fully paid for field day at Rosedale on 5th March 2014
 Attend one of the tutorials in March (optional)
 Include a cover page for each entry with the name of your school, class name and
all contributing students’ names clearly marked. See Appendix IV for a template.
 Only send the best two entries per class to North West LLS by 26th May 2014
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DEVELOPING YOUR PROPERTY PLAN
Property planning aids the landholder to match production systems on the property to
its level of capability to assure future productivity and sustainability. When land is used
beyond its capability it causes resource degradation and thereafter has reduced ability to
support production, conversely if land is used below its potential the opportunity for
greater production is being wasted. Property Planning aims to help the landholder to
manage their resources and address issues in a methodical and logical manner.
Property planning enables us to plan for not only the management of stock, irrigated
and dryland crops and other farm enterprises such as ecotourism but also for soils, trees,
wildlife, water supply and other resources that make up a property. Property Planning
also assists in planning of emergency response and biosecurity management.
Financial considerations will often be the deciding factors in determining what can be
achieved in a property plan. As the major aim is to produce a practical physical plan,
profitability and funding sources should be considered and described in the final report
but only broad terms.
The final property plan should:
 Take into account natural characteristics of the land, water and vegetation
 Minimise land and water degradation by the identification of existing and
possible problem areas and adapting management
 Be aware of social, legal and economic aspects
 Optimise profitability of enterprises
 Consider broader issues – for example what are surrounding landholders
doing? What is happening in the catchment?
 Plan management response to biosecurity issues and other emergencies such as
bushfires and floods.
For the purposes of this competition, the scenario is that you are a team of farm
advisory consultants that have been contracted to undertake a property plan.
The Question
Your task is to use the principles of physical property planning to plan the
sustainable and profitable development of the case study farm “Rosedale”.
You need to develop a map of the property, where you will mark on your suggested
improvements such as infrastructure and new management practices. To
accompany your map, provide a report that describes the management practices you
believe should be implemented on the farm over the next 5 – 10 years and justify the
decisions you have made on your plan.
To be eligible to enter the competition you are required to submit a:
 Physical plan (the map with your recommendations marked)
 A report to go with the map explaining the recommendations you have made
 Cover page with all of the details required (names, class, school)
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PROPERTY INFORMATION – “ROSEDALE”
The following section outlines the information relevant to “Rosedale” that you will
need to take into account when developing your plan. It includes information on the
history of the property, the aims of the landholder, and a physical stock take of the
property.
Conducting a physical stock take of the property is a key element in developing a
property management plan. By examining a farm thoroughly you will see a complete
picture of the current state of its resources, and how best to use these resources in the
future. Some factors cannot easily be changed (e.g. climate and soils) while others can
be (e.g. land use and fence lines).
1. History and Current Enterprises
“Rosedale” is approximately 600 hectares in size on the outskirts of Currabubula
between Tamworth and Werris Creek. The elevation runs from 400m near the creek to
790m at the top of the mountains. It was purchased by the Lyons family in 2003 as a
fairly run down sheep farm. Currently the property is running 100 cows and 60 calves
with some weaners on adjistment off farm.
The lower slopes on the southern section of the property adjacent to Currabubula Creek
(approx 150ha) has had a history of cropping and was likely cleared for this purpose in
the 1950’s. This area now has a mix of paddocks with tropical pastures, lucerne,
temperate pastures and paddocks that are currently fallow with no crop or pasture.
Groundcover along with desirable and palatable pasture species have been in decline
over the past few years in these paddocks. Weeds have also invaded these paddocks
including but not limited to: Fleabane, Mexican Poppy, Bathurst Burr and also Tiger
Pear.
Currabubula Creek runs along the southern boundary of the property. In places the
creek has been incised (bed lowering) and some of the banks are unstable. There are
some large old trees however there is a lack of new young trees growing. Introduced
species and weeds are very evident including Willows, Peppercorns, Tiger Pear and
African Boxthorn. Stock have unrestricted access to most of the creek and use some of
the remaining water holes for stock water although it has been noticed that these
waterholes dry up much more quickly than they used to. Only a few kilometers
upstream from “Rosedale” there are known habitats and populations of platypus and
catfish.
The mid section of the property is native pastures and has been partially cleared of
trees, steep in places with rocky outcrops. There are a number of dams that are the
water supply for grazing animals and this section is divided into 2 paddocks with a total
area of approximately 450ha. There are pine regrowth issues in this paddock which can
limit pasture growth and therefore grazing potential.
Rising above this paddock is the very steep slopes (up to 790m) which form part of the
Melville Ranges and the northern end of the property. There is minimum grazing
potential in this area due to the steepness, inaccessibility, rockiness and tree cover. St.
Johns Wort is often found in these steep areas and is starting to creep into the lower
slopes.
5
Cattle are kept in the southern paddocks around the creek for most of the year. Lucerne
is cut and given to cattle for feed when available and required. When the cows are
calving they are moved into the mid section of the property where there is more shelter.
Current fences are in good condition with much of this work being undertaken over the
past 10 years. A tank and series of troughs have been set up in all of the paddocks
adjacent to the creek.
The owners live on the property in a house that has been recently renovated. There is a
new hay shed for storage and a new set of cattle yards.
The main challenges on this property are:
 improving and maintaining groundcover to at least 70% or above
 minimising erosion in the creek and adjacent paddocks
 improving the condition of the creek and encouraging habitat for native flora and
fauna
 improving water quality in the creek
 selecting appropriate grazing and or cropping enterprises
 seasonal feed value and availability
 shade and shelter for stock
 planning for emergencies such as bushfires and floods as well as biosecurity issues.
These challenges should be addressed in the property plan.
2. Landholder’s Goals
While property plans can be based purely on the physical resources, it is the landholder
who will implement the plan. It is therefore desirable that any plan not only accounts
for the physical factors but also the aims of the landholder.
The goals of the owners of “Rosedale” are to:
 Increase property value for sale in the future
 Increase productivity of the cattle enterprise
 Improve pasture quality and quantity (including having a mix of types of
pastures and provision of seasonal shortages)
 Encouraging water to stay longer in the creek with better waterholes
6
STOCKTAKE OF RESOURCES
1. Land Use, Maps and Measuring Area
Current landuse on “Rosedale” is predominately grazing with a mix of introduced
pastures including tropicals, temperates and lucerne along the creek and native
perennial pastures and remnant native vegetation on the steeper slopes.
You have been provided with a series of maps to print and undertake your property
planning. The north arrow, property boundary and scale are displayed on each map.
The following information in Table 1 can be used as a guide to calculate areas on the
map. A scale bar will appear on the maps which will also help you to work out distances
and areas. If you need help, please discuss at the tutorials. A dot grid can also be used to
calculate land areas (see Appendix II).
Table 1: Area statistics
Example – not scale of maps
Scale - 1:20 000
1 cm : 200 m
1 cm square: 200 m x 200 m
1 cm square: 40,000 square metres
1 hectare = 10,000 square metres
So 1cm square (on the map) = 4 hectares (on the ground)
2. Contours and Drainage
The map shows contour lines, which represent areas of uniform elevation, with a
constant interval in height between them. This means that where contours are spaced
more closely together, the land surface is steeper, so may require conservative
management to offset the potential erosion hazard. A key consideration should be:
 Drainage lines, watercourses and riparian vegetation should be retained and
carefully managed. They are at risk of erosion if cultivated or overgrazed.
 Often these areas could benefit from revegetation and grazing management i.e.
stock excluded and only crash grazed when appropriate. They may already
contain native vegetation that is important for biodiversity on the property.
3. Current Infrastructure and Water Resources
The infrastructure map shows the location of existing fences, on “Rosedale”. Most
fences on the property are either new or have been replaced/repaired over the past 10
years. However there are fences along the creek which will need replacing as the creek
has moved over time and the fence has collapsed due to undercutting.
The stock water supply on Rosedale consists of a reliable tank and trough system in the
paddocks adjacent to the creek as well as using the creek for water where the creek has
not been fenced off. Dams are utilized in the other higher sections of the property as
troughs will not be suitable to reticulate to. If there is an addition of paddocks and
increased stock numbers, particularly in the steeper section of the property, more
watering points will be required.
7
4. Soil Landscapes
Soil is the main resource upon which plant and animal production depends, so it is
important to understand the features that determine the ability of a soil to support this
production, and to be resilient towards degradation. The Soil Landscape map shows the
extent of different soil landscapes on Rosedale, and further detail is provided below.
The names given below are not the names of the individual soil types but the names of
the soil landscape which can comprise of a number of soil types. The use of soil
landscapes as a mapping unit allows the combining of soil and topographic (physical
features) constraints into one unit so that the map can be viewed in terms of limitations
for urban and rural development.
At the field day we will identify, test and describe the soil type within the landscape at a
particular point on the farm using soil pits. In addition, we will describe how these soils
where formed and what advantages and limitations they may have. “Rosedale” is
covered by 4 main soil landscapes as described below.
Currabubula Creek
This soil landscape is a level floodplain containing high energy streams which drain
from the Melville Ranges. There is widespread stream bank erosion and sheet erosion
across these areas with little remnant vegetation left except on margins of larger
streams. The soil types are variable but are mostly moderately deep alluvial clay soils
that are moderately fertile. Due to this fertility and level floodplain, most of the
landscape has been cleared for cropping and grazing.
Melville
The Melville soil landscape is characterised by undulating to rolling hills and mountain
side slopes. Whilst the soil geology in this landscape is extremely complex, on the
property “Rosedale” it is expected that it will be mainly clay soils and slopes of
between 2-12% from alluvial fans and drainage plains. Due to this slope and position in
the landscape these soils can be prone to sheet erosion and in places gully erosion. This
landscape has been predominately cleared for grazing in the upper slopes and cropping
in lower slopes.
Slippery Rock
80% of this soil landscape has been cleared in the past despite the often steep terrain
and rocky outcrops. Slopes are between 20 - 50% and it is a known recharge zone for
groundwater. Soils are shallow with bedrock usually within 2m from the surface.
Because of the past clearing, some areas now have issues with pine regrowth.
Taggarts Mountain
Steep to extremely steep mountains (25 – 150%) with an elevation range of 440 –
1000m known as the Melville Ranges. The soils are light and shallow with low fertility
and are prone to sheet erosion particularly if it has been cleared of native vegetation
(only the lower slopes). Most of the remnant native vegetation is still intact mainly due
to the steepness and inaccessibility.
When describing a soil so we can identify it and determine its strengths and weaknesses
we need to look at a number of the soils features:
8
 Soil Texture describes the relative proportions of sand (large particles), silt
(small particles) and clay (tiny particles) in a soil. Texture indicates the ease
with which a soil can be worked and its capacity to hold water and nutrients.
Texture also affects the ability of a soil to handle machinery traffic, and its
susceptibility to erosion.
 Soil pH is a measure of the acidity and/or alkalinity of a soil. It is an important
factor in determining the availability of nutrients and trace elements to plants.
At low pH for example, nutrients such as phosphorus become deficient, while
others such as aluminium become available in toxic amounts.
 Soil colour gives a good guide to the level of organic matter, the amount and
state of iron in the soil, the degree of leaching and level of drainage. A red
coloured soil is due to highly oxidised iron (similar to rust) and indicate good
drainage and are usually found higher on ridges and upper slopes. Yellow, grey
and mottled soils are indicators of less well drained soils and are usually found
in lower areas and on drainage lines.
 Soil structure refers to the arrangement of soil particles, the strength of the
bonding between them and the size and distribution of the pores throughout the
soil. Structure plays an important role in determining the ability of a soil to
absorb and to hold water and air. Also, the ease with which seedlings may
emerge from and roots may penetrate the soil.
 The rate of water infiltration of soil affects the productivity of a property. The
more rainfall that soaks into the ground means more water available for plant
production. The rate of water infiltration also affects the amount of run-off
(which may increase soil erosion) and recharge to groundwater.
 Soil salinity refers to the presence of salt in the soil. A high salt level is toxic to
plants, and may cause poor pasture growth and reduced crop yield, and in
extreme cases, bare patches of unproductive land.
 Soil fertility refers to the chemical, physical and biological fertility of a soil.
Chemical soil fertility refers to soil pH, soil salinity and the ability of the soil to
store and supply plant nutrients. Physical soil fertility refers to soil texture and
structure. Biological soil fertility refers to the amount of organic matter and the
ability of the soil to support biological activity.
 Soil health refers to the combination of the chemical, physical and biological
fertility of a soil. A healthy soil can be defined as one that is productive and
easy to manage under the intended land use. In addition, a healthy soil has
biological, physical and chemical properties that promote the health of plants,
animals and humans while also maintaining environmental quality.
9
5. Soil Salinity
Soil salinity refers to the presence of salts in the soil. Salinity poses two potential
problems to plant growth - specific harmful effects of particular salts, and general
effects of high osmotic pressure of the solution around the plant roots, which
effectively prevents the plant taking up water.
In severe cases, salt will kill plants and bare the ground surface, with white crystals
visible. In less severe cases, salt tolerant species may be present. Some soils have high
salt loads at depth, so it is important to follow best management principles in order to
reduce deep drainage and the occurrence of rising water tables and thus salinity.
Signs and symptoms of salinity
 trees dying in clusters for no apparent reason
 poor crop performance
 spread of bare patches of soil
 salt-tolerant species thriving
 salt crusts on the surface.
Salinity recharge and discharge areas
The recharge area is an area where water enters into the landscape – through the
surface into the soil and rocks. These can be anywhere in the landscape – but is often
in the upper parts, on the hills and slopes.
The discharge area is an area where water exits the landscape – can be at the break of
slope, a change in soil type, a geological constriction, into a creek or drainage line, a
dam or seep.
Management of Salinity Outbreaks
Management of salinity is about utilising water efficiently. Salts are very soluble so
are easily move across the landscape and to areas where they can have a negative
impact. Deep rooted perennial grass and trees are able to use water and access water
deeper in the soil than shallow crops. Perennial grasses usually grow all year round
and therefore have the capacity to use water when there is a rainfall event, rather than
this water being lost to deep drainage in the soil and running off at the surface.
Efficient grazing management to encourage good growth of pastures is important as is
limiting stock impact on fragile salt affected areas. Earthworks can be useful in areas
to reduce erosion or wash off from salt affected areas.
Zero-till stubble retention systems and sound nutritional management can assist in
reducing the effects of salinity on crop yields. This system reduces the accumulation
of sodium and salts at the soil surface because it increases rainfall infiltration into the
soil and reduces evaporation from the soil surface. Including deep-rooted crops in the
rotation will also contribute to improved management of water and salt movement
through the profile.
The adoption of water use efficiency in irrigation can assist in salinity management by
reducing the potential for deep drainage and mobilisation of salts – particularly into
groundwater or shallow aquifers.
10
6. Land Capability Classes
Land capability describes the ability of land to sustain a type of land use without
causing permanent damage. If land is used beyond its capability, the resource becomes
degraded and therefore has a reduced ability to support further productivity. In NSW
an eight-class system is commonly used to assess land capability. Features such as
slope, soil type, and erosion risk are considered, and the most limiting factor determines
the overall capability class for any land portion. The diagram below indicates typical
land capability boundaries in a landscape.
The following table describes the eight class system that was used to classify land on
‘Rosedale’, and indicates how each may be best managed to maintain its productivity
and sustainability.
Table 3: Land Capability Classes
Land
Brief description
class
Best cropping soils in NSW – flat. Usually flat land that is highly fertile and is
I
often cropped continuously. Examples include market gardening area.
Very good cropping land. Low slope with little erosion potential and good soil
II
types. Techniques such as crop rotations and conservation farming will ensure
long term sustainability of the farm environment.
Sloping cropping country that could wash and erode when ploughed. The land
is also quite fertile cropping land but due to the length of slope, and perhaps
III
the type of soil, erosion control earthworks such as contour banks should be
used to control erosion. Conservation tillage techniques are recommended for
Class III soils.
Best grazing country but too fragile for regular crops - up to 2 crops in 10
years with direct drilling or minimum tillage (tined implements
recommended). Keep pastures taller than 5 cm. The land may be undulating
IV
with main limitations being slope, rockiness, fertility of soil, and/or
susceptibility to soil structure decline. Pasture improving, applying fertiliser
and controlling grazing will maintain adequate groundcover.
As for class IV, but less capable because:
 some limitations are more significant, and/or
 because of existing or potential erosion, and the degree of slope, may
V
require erosion control earthworks (this is more so if the topsoil is to be
exposed during cultivation).
Control of vermin, broadcasting of seed or aerial fertiliser application may
also be necessary. There may be some waterlogging.
11
VI
VII
VIII
Grazing land that must not be cultivated because of soils, slope, wind or water
erosion hazard or rock. Requires good management such as controlled grazing
or broadcast pasture improvement (often by air) for improved carrying
capacity.
Too fragile for grazing, keep trees for seed and honey. Land best left under
green timber or undisturbed ground cover. The area could be a high recharge
area.
Non farming scenic woodland or wetland - not capable of sustaining
agriculture production eg. cliffs, lakes, swamps and quarries.
Key Considerations
 Using the above information on Land Capability, consider what land use
enterprise options and management are best suited to the different areas of the
property.
 Current land use may exceed the land's capability. Are you going to maintain
what is there or consider new enterprises or management strategies?
7. Biodiversity
Remnant native vegetation is important for maintaining ecosystem biodiversity.
Diverse ecosystems maintain robust food webs that are of value to grazing and
cropping enterprises and society in general. An example of this includes microbats
that live under tree bark and in the hollows of old trees. Microbats play a major part in
keeping down numbers of flying insects, including mosquitoes that can carry Ross
River virus, a disease which can be lethal to humans. Improving remnant vegetation
improves the resilience of these foods webs which in turn improve the resilience of
human communities.
Barn owls and other native predators play an important role in vermin control. They
are very successful mouse managers, tearing their prey apart with frightening
violence. Predatory birds are extremely valuable to graziers and croppers, helping to
reduce the impact of small vermin on profits. These owls require trees with hollows
for them to roost in. Hollows form when mature trees drop large limbs, taking
heartwood with them. Large hollows are usually only found in trees over 100 years
old which again indicates the importance of remnant native vegetation.
Wedge-tailed eagles are also successful hunters of vermin. Once blamed for taking
lambs; eagles have now been shown to prefer rabbits, wallabies and joeys.
Biodiversity of undisturbed remnant areas helps to make the neighbouring country
more productive; it also increases the health and resilience of broader communities.
Remnant woodland areas provide valuable windbreaks and at times can reduce
moisture loss that can impact grazing and cropping enterprises. Farm layouts are
increasingly including shelter belts to benefit many facets of agriculture.
For further information on environmental services of remnant vegetation, visit the
Special Place Pack for Quipolly Dam:
http://specialplaces.namoi.xceed.com.au/quipolly-dam/
12
Distribution of vegetation on the property can be observed on the maps provided. There
are significant areas of intact remnant native vegetation on the steeper slopes however
on the lower slopes native vegetation has been modified through clearing and a history
of grazing and cultivation. There is very little native vegetation left on the lower slopes
which can adversely affect animal production. Appendix III contains a species list of
trees, shrubs and grasses expected to be found on ‘Rosedale’ on the lower slopes, which
may be relevant to your planning particularly if you propose to revegetate areas of the
property.
Key Considerations:
 Trees provide stock protection (shade and shelter), erosion control, timber
supplies (firewood and fence posts), biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and farm
beautification.
 Trees are deep rooted and can often help to reduce the impact of salinity
outbreak areas. They must, however, be placed in the correct position within
the landscape to have this effect.
 In less developed country, native vegetation regenerates easily when fenced
from livestock. In more developed country (farmed for a longer period of time),
vegetation would have to be planted.
8. Climate
“Rosedale” is situated on the North West Slopes of NSW. The property is situated in a
summer rainfall zone but useful falls can occur in winter and spring. The summers are
hot but not extreme, the winter days are mild and nights can be cool and occasionally
frosty. The average rainfall is 634mm.
Figure 1 shows the average monthly rainfall over the year, and clearly demonstrates the
pattern of summer dominance.
Mean Monthly Rainfall
100
90
Rainfall (mm)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
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0
Month
As well as rainfall, temperature is another important determinant of plant growth and
influences infiltration and evaporation dynamics. Figure 2 shows the mean monthly
minimum and maximum temperatures for ‘Rosedale’.
13
Mean Monthly Temperatures
35
Temperature (Degrees C)
30
25
20
Mean maximum
temperature
Mean minimum
temperature
15
10
5
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0
Month
More climatic information is available at: www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/
Key Considerations
 Rainfall amount and seasonality determines the crop and pasture species that
may be grown in an area and influences plant growth, erosion hazard, flooding
hazard and groundwater levels.
 The amount of rainfall influences stream-flow to lower areas and groundwater
levels through deep drainage.
 Temperature will affect plant growth and stock nutritional needs; management
of the property needs to consider how the effect of temperature can be managed.
 Wind speed and direction influences water use by crops and pastures, and is an
important consideration when determining sites for wind breaks or stock shelter
areas
14
Photos from “Rosedale”
Photo A: Small lucerne paddock with the creek in background and mid-slops of the property
Photo B: Currabubula Creek upstream of property, healthy vegetation with Cumbungi reed beds
15
MANAGING THE RESOURCES
1. Specific Issues
Existing problems on the property should be considered and will influence the final
plan. If and what type of remedial action will be required? What enterprises and
management strategies are most suited to these areas?
Table 4: Issues that exist at “Rosedale”
Points to be aware of when developing management options
Groundcover is low where over grazing has occurred on the lower slopes. This can cause
many issues including encouraging annual grasses and weeds that have less nutritional value
for stock, increased risk of erosion, decreased water infiltration/retention and decreases in
soil fertility and organic matter.
Riparian
This section of Currabubula Creek has been degraded over the years which have caused
area
severe bank and bed erosion in places, invasion of weeds including Willows and Peppercorn
trees, low groundcover due to unrestricted stock access and lack of recruitment of new
canopy species. Further upstream there are Cumbungi reed beds and known platypus and
catfish populations which indicate that this stream has potential for rehabilitation. There are
fences along parts of the creek which were constructed very close to the bank which has
eroded and thus the fence has fallen over.
Weeds
Environmental weeds are those which are not listed as noxious but do pose serious
environmental threats to biodiversity. This property has some weed issues with the main
threat being posed by the potential invasion of Coolatai Grass on the road sides adjacent to
the property. You may notice this at the front gate when you enter for the field day.
Shallow
There are some areas of the property which have shallow soils and high rock content.
soils
Shallow soils have:
 Low water holding capacity, which results in lower production potential.
 Poor infiltration, so increased run-off leads to poor plant establishment and susceptibility
to erosion.
 Low fertility that results in reduced plant vigour therefore reducing plant production and
thus grazing potential.
Tree
The property has low tree cover because of past clearing, cropping, grazing and competition
decline
from pastures in the lower slopes which is now used for predominantly grazing.
Tree decline can reduce agricultural production through loss of shade and shelter, as well
contributing to other forms of land degradation such as erosion, salinity and water logging.
Carefully think about where would be best appropriate to plant trees.
Pine
In the mid-slopes areas, trees and shrubs have been cleared in the past to increase grass
regrowth
production and grazing areas. These areas now have issues with pine trees regenerating
densely and forming areas with little groundcover underneath and loss of grazing area. These
mid-slopes are generally not grazed
Bushfire
With the large remnant native vegetation area to the north of the property, this property
Risk
could come under threat from bushfires particularly in a dry season. Planning must be
considered with particular consideration to: human life, livestock and infrastructure
protection.
Water
Erosion on the slopes will lead to higher levels of turbidity (muddy water) in waterways
quality
across the catchment (in this case Currabubula Creek). This can lead to a decline in water
quality and other issues.
Issue
Poor
ground
cover
16
2. Legal Obligations
Many legal constraints affect the final property plan. Table 5 briefly outlines some legal
constraints and their implications for the property. In addition to those listed below it
may be necessary to address other Acts depending on your final plan, including the
Pesticides Act 1990, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the
Work Health and Safety Act 2011, all of which can found at
www.legislation.nsw.gov.au.
Table 5: Possible legal constraints
Issue
Legal constraints
Native Vegetation Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) Clearing of native vegetation including
Clearing
invasive native scrub (except under Routine Agricultural Management
Activities [RAMA’s]) must be approved through the Native Vegetation Act
2003. An application to clear must be approved by North West Local Land
Services.
For
more
information
go
to
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/vegetation/nvmanagement
Threatened species
Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW) Endangered ecological
communities such as Grassy White Box Woodlands are protected by this Act.
Threatened
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
ecological
(Commonwealth) (EPBC Act). This act provides national and protection and
communities
management of important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage
places with national environmental significance.
Protected land
Soil Conservation Act 1938
This applies to stream banks (no native vegetation removal within 20 metres
of stream bank). Also applies to lands that are steep, greater than 33 %, 18
degrees. Existing native vegetation must be retained and allowed to
regenerate. This includes grasses as well as shrubs and trees.
Noxious weeds
Noxious Weeds Act 1993
Bushfire
Rural Fires Act 1997, all burning and fires are to be carried out in accordance
Management
with this Act.
Local Government Rural Zone - Generally encourages rural pursuits within this zone,
Planning Zones
and incompatible development should be controlled
Water – farm dams Water Management Act 2000
Under the Water Reform legislation up to 10% of the water that falls on the
property may be harvested (stored in a dam) and used for any purpose before
a licence must be obtained. This is called the harvestable right. This
guarantees a basic level of access to a water supply for the rural community.
For more information go to www.water.nsw.gov.au/Water-Licensing/Basicwater-rights/default.aspx
Water
Water Management Act 2000
Groundwater licences, floodplain management, environmental flows are all
included under this Act. Check for more information as approvals are
required for some activities relating to water management in NSW.
17
PUTTING THE PLAN TOGETHER
The section may help you decide what to put in your physical plan and what
recommendations to give in your report.
1. Specific Works
This section outlines specific works you may want to include in your property plan.
These works are to be marked on your map, and then referred to in your report.
Fencing and Water Supply
Considerations in fencing design should be part of your plan. While it is preferable to
keep current infrastructure where it is to reduce the costs associated with implementing
the new plan, these resources can be flexible. If the benefits of their removal or
relocation are exceeded by the costs involved then you can consider implementation.
Stock water supply has a significant effect on property management and planning. You
must advise the landholders of the options open to them and give reasons for the
option/s you recommend. Make sure you consider the current enterprises on the
property and match these to the water supply option you recommend.
Conservation Earthworks including Riparian Works
Where management practices alone are not capable of controlling a soil erosion
problem, conservation earthworks may be required to remediate the problem.
 In areas subject to erosion, suitable control structures may include contour
banks, levees, pasture belts, and waterways, gully filling and gully control dams.
 Structures that control water erosion are designed to remove excess water from
the land before it can cause erosion. Excess water removed in this way can be
directed into dams, adding to the farm water supply, or disposed of into the
creek and flow lines (water disposal areas).
 Any erosion control program that involves diversion of run-off must provide for
safe disposal of that water.
 When considering the disposal of run-off water, it is important to identify the
flow-lines and points at which water naturally leaves the property.
 There is a legal obligation to ensure that there is no diversion of run-off from
one exit point to another. Once these exit points are known it is then possible to
design and locate a system of erosion earthworks.
 The modification of catchments through soil erosion control works that alters
the way water is delivered to watercourses may affect stream behaviour and
stability.
When undertaking conservation earthworks the impact on
downstream areas should be considered.
 Earthworks in the riparian area (creek) must be carefully considered. Where
bank erosion is occurring there may be a need for a control structure to reduce
this erosion. Bed control structures are required if the bed of the creek is
lowering due to erosion such as a head cut. With any riparian earthworks, this
requires prior approval and licences and should always be in conjunction with
revegetation activities.
18
Potential earthworks should be planned and costed out and discussed with relevant
experts and neighbours due to legal obligations and the often complex nature of
designing and implementing structures. For your map, it is only necessary to mark the
areas that you believe require earthworks.
Native Vegetation
A decline in remnant native vegetation has occurred throughout the lower slopes of the
property over many years. It is important to think about if it is appropriate to plant and
establish more trees including shelter belts, windbreaks, wildlife corridors and salt
interception plantings. If you intend to include revegetation activities in your plan, you
need to consider the following information.
 Method of vegetation establishment i.e. tubestock planting versus natural
regeneration.
 Protecting remnant vegetation and regeneration areas from grazing where good
seed banks or seedlings occur. This is cheaper than planting other areas.
 The location of native vegetation establishment must be determined with other
considerations such as climate, boundaries, roads, powerlines, and connections
with existing trees for habitat expansion and biodiversity.
If you are recommending establishment of native vegetation there are a number of
issues you should include in your report. They could include but are not limited to; the
selection and source of suitable tree species, design, tree planting techniques, methods
of excluding stock and weed control.
2. Management Recommendations
The next step in your plan is to determine the broad area land management practices for
land within the property. The management recommendations should take into account
the information provided, address the issues outlined in Table 4, and consider the legal
constraints given in Table 5.
Land management practices should be discussed in the report and if required, shown as
unique areas using a numbered system on the map with a legend. Land management can
be considered over the whole or parts of the property and may include:
 Enterprise selection e.g. dryland cropping, irrigated cropping or grazing
 Soil management and erosion control
 Weed and pest animal control
 Fire prevention and control
 Drought management and preparedness
 Biosecurity management
 Management of riparian areas
 Use of land within its capability
 Native vegetation management
19
Grazing Management
The current pastures on “Rosedale” have some limitations, which could be improved
using grazing management, pasture species selection and infrastructure. There is a mix
of tropical pasture paddocks and temperate pasture paddocks on the lower slopes but
groundcover and persistence of the temperate species has been declining over the years.
A small amount of lucerne is cut for fodder to supplement the pastures.
Native perennial pastures on the higher slopes are only used for shorter periods of time
such as calving. These paddocks are much larger in size with few watering points.
It is necessary to review the grazing management plan for this property to:
 improve groundcover and available feed on the lower slopes
 review species selection of improved pasture on the lower slopes
- are temperate species appropriate for this area?
- is there enough feed throughout each season?
 plan for better utilisation of native pasture paddocks
Marketing Decisions
Think about different markets that could be accessed by the landholders and identify
if these would be suitable for the property in regards to land capability, location of
property (close to selling points such as sale yards) and meeting landholder goals.
Biosecurity
Biosecurity is a set of measures designed to protect a property from the entry,
establishment and spread of weeds, pests and diseases. Farm biosecurity is the
landholders’ responsibility, and the responsibility those visiting or working on that
property. As part of a property plan, the types of threats to that particular property
should be considered including the sources/vectors and the methods of minimising
those threats. Each farm will have a different set of threats because of the enterprises
on the farm and location. Practical information about how to protect the farm from
biosecurity risks should form part of your recommendations to the landholder.
Emergency Issues
The property may at times be threatened by emergencies such as bushfires, floods,
extended drought and storm damage. A plan to mitigate the main risks should be
recommended to the landholder. Describe these risks and the types of plans to be put
in place.
3. Monitoring
When you have decided on what management options you wish to implement you may
want to include some ways in which to monitor the changes. You can select a number
of sites in which the landholder can do regular monitoring. The sites should either be
representative of a large proportion of the property or have an obvious or suspected land
degradation problem. Consider carefully as you do not want to choose too many as this
will be time consuming for the landholder.
20
Decide on some indicators of change that you can use to monitor physical changes on
the property. Think about some of the tests and assessments you participated in at the
field day. Some examples could include:
 Pasture and/or groundcover percentage
 Pasture and/or crop yields
 Soil carbon or structural changes and soil pH
 Groundwater levels
 Records of bird sightings as an increase in the number and diversity of species
signals better environmental conditions
 Water quality
Mark the sites on your map and refer to them in your report.
An example of a monitoring tool you could use is the Ground Cover App which is a
free App for iPhone and Android devices. It was developed to provide graziers with a
tool to measure groundcover across their paddocks using the step point method. You
will measure the percentage of pasture and other material that is covering the soil
surface when looking down on it. Monitoring pastures using an objective tool such as
Ground Cover provides a valuable benchmark for managing paddocks and pastures
across the property.
To download go to:
www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au/395590.html
21
THE PLAN AND REPORT
1. The Physical Plan
Once you have considered the information and issues, the next step is to draw up your
property plan. Download and print the boundary map then draw directly onto the page.
The north arrow, scale and boundary are already marked so all you need to do is draw
on your plan. Standard mapping symbols used in property planning are given below but
you are not limited to using these symbols as long as you label and include a legend.
A good tip when drawing your plan is to use standard mapping colours i.e. blue for
water, brown for earthworks, green for vegetation. Using shading or hatching over an
area can show what the plan is for that area i.e. changing the land use for that paddock.
Dam
Contour
Yards
Waterway
Windmill
Tree regeneration area
Tank
Windbreak
Watering point
Tree lot
TRA
WB
TL
2. The Report
You are allowed a maximum of five A4 pages for the report.
 Remember that land use and management proposals should be outlined in your
report along with reasons for your decisions. List options then justify the
recommended action.
 DO NOT use Appendices to explain your report findings as they WILL NOT be
read or marked.
A major part of property planning is evaluation of alternative enterprises for each
particular management unit. This usually includes a comparison and assessment of the
economic viability of the alternative enterprise as well as addressing physical
requirements. However, for the purposes of this exercise it is not necessary to produce
a detailed report on economic aspects. A simple summary is sufficient along with a
short explanation of why a particular enterprise was recommended. Nevertheless, it is
still important to consider how you would fund any specific works suggested.
22
EXTRA RESOURCES
1. Expertise
There are many sources of information you can access for technical information.
Below is a preliminary list to get you started.
 NSW Local Land Services (previously Catchment Management Authorities and
Livestock Health Pest Authorities)
 NSW Department of Environment and Heritage
 NSW Department of Primary Industries
 Commercial agronomists
 Your local library and school resources
2. Funding Opportunities
Think about if works and management changes you are considering are able to be
funded through external means. Environmental works that have public benefit (in
addition to benefits to the landholder) may be able to be supported financially through
different organisations. The following sources of information may be useful:
 Grants Information: www.grantslink.gov.au
 Caring for our Country: www.nrm.gov.au
 North West Local Land Services: northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au
3. Other relevant organisations and websites
NSW Departments and Organisations:
NSW Department of Primary Industries
NSW Department of Environment and
Heritage
NSW Office of Water
NSW Soil Conservation Service
Landcare NSW
National Departments and Organisations:
Australian Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and
Communities
Australian Department of Agriculture
Fisheries and Forestry
Greening Australia
National Dryland Salinity Program
Murray Darling Basin Authority
CSIRO
Others:
Landline ABC
Meat and Livestock Australia
Farm Biosecurity
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture
www.environment.nsw.gov.au
www.water.nsw.gov.au
www.lands.nsw.gov.au/soil_conservation
www.landcarensw.org.au
www.environment.gov.au
www.daff.gov.au
www.greeningaustralia.org.au
www.ndsp.gov.au
www.mdba.gov.au
www.csiro.au
www.abc.net.au/landline
www.mla.com.au
www.farmbiosecurity.com.au
23
APPENDIX I: MARKING SCHEDULE
School:
Criterion
Student names:
MARKER ID:
Not done
0
No discussion of strategies to
manage property considering
land use constraints.
Consideration given
Marks: 1 - 2
Inappropriate suggestions to manage
property considering land use
constraints.
Adequate standard
Marks: 3 - 4
Good discussion of strategies to manage
property considering land use issues.
Appropriate management decisions.
2) Enterprise selection,
range, justification and
suitability
No information presented to
show enterprise selection.
Irrelevant or inappropriate enterprise
selection. No reasons given.
Appropriate enterprise selection.
Relevant and adequate explanation of
enterprise selection.
3) Consideration of
Landholders aims
4) Map Presentation
No consideration given.
Some consideration given to all aims.
Not included, poor presentation.
Some consideration given to some
aims.
Some effort shown to present map
5) Report Presentation
Not included, poor presentation.
Some effort shown to present report
6) Use of Resource
Information provided
No use of information provided.
Some resource information used to
develop management
recommendations or map.
7) Legal considerations
accounted for
No accounting for legal
considerations.
No consideration of funding
works.
No reference to other resources
used.
Legal constraints considered, but
unclear how they affected decisions.
Mention of need to source funding.
1) Consideration of Land
Use issues and
hazards
8) Funding considered
9) Use of other resources
10) Monitoring
No consideration to monitoring
of recommended and works
11) Biosecurity and
Emergency Planning
No consideration given/no
response to any Biosecurity or
Emergency Planning criteria
References given to use of
resources, but irrelevant resources
used.
Need to monitor mentioned
Mention given or poor understanding
of Biosecurity and Emergency
Planning issues
High standard
Marks: 5 - 6
Thorough discussion of strategies to manage property
considering land use issues and hazards. Appropriate
management decisions made. Innovative strategies
explored.
Appropriate enterprise selection. Relevant and adequate
explanation of enterprise selection. Innovative ideas
demonstrated that meet the requirements of landholder and
land resource.
High level of consideration shown for all aims.
Map presented clearly with some effort
made with presentation.
report presented clearly with some effort
made with presentation
Most resource information used to
develop management recommendations
and map.
Map presented very clearly and to a high standard with effort
made with presentation.
Report presented very clearly and to a high standard with
effort made with presentation.
All resource information used to develop both management
recommendations and map.
Legal constraints considered. Clearly
affected management decisions.
Funding sources suggested for works
proposed.
References given to use of resources.
Relevant resources used but not
referenced.
Map shows monitoring points and
strategy described
Legal issues clearly considered and applied to management,
Consideration given to overcoming legal constraints.
Range of funding options explored and linked to proposed
works.
List of relevant resources mentioned in text and references
given.
Understanding of Biosecurity and
Emergency Planning issues
Thorough understanding of Biosecurity and Emergency
Planning issues. Good evidence of ideas being used in plan.
24
Range of monitoring options given with preferred strategies
recommended and mapped.
Score
APPENDIX II: THE DOT GRID
You can easily calculate areas on an air photo (or any other map) using a dot grid as
long as you know the scale of the photo. You can use it for calculating areas of the farm
such as paddocks, tree planting areas and erosion areas.
A dot grid consists of a series of squares, 1 centimetre x 1 centimetre in size. Within
each square there are 25 dots. The dot grid is made of clear plastic, so it can be placed
over the aerial photograph.
From the aerial photograph you wish to know the area of the paddock that has the shape
below.
1. Place the dot grid over the area to be measured
2. Trace the outline of the area
3. There are 13 complete squares (1-13), which is equal to 13 sq cm
4. There are a total of 45 dots remaining in incomplete squares
5. To convert dots to sq cm, divide by 25 (because there are 25 dots in each square)
6. Add the answers from Steps 3 and 5, ie. 13 + 1.8 = 14.8 sq cm
7. The scale of the aerial photograph in this example will be 1:7,500. (Check the
scale on your own map.)
Therefore;
7,500 X 7,500
10,000 10,000
= 0.56 ha/sq cm
8.
Final calculation
Step 7 x Step 6
= 0.56 x 14.8
= 8.3 ha
To convert to acres multiply by 2.471
= 20.5 acres
This method can be used to calculate small or large areas on your aerial photograph.
THIS EXAMPLE IS NOT THE SCALE OF YOUR MAP.
USE THE SAME PROCESS TO CALCULATE YOUR OWN AREAS.
25
26
APPENDIX III: VEGETATION SPECIES EXPECTED AT
‘Rosedale’
Canopy Species:
Botanical Name
Angophora floribunda
Callitris glaucophylla
Casuarina cunninghamiana
Eucalyptus albens
Eucalyptus blakelyi
Eucalyptus camaldulensis
Eucalyptus crebra
Eucalyptus dealbata
Eucalyptus melliodora
Midstorey Species:
Botanical Name
Acacia deanei
Acacia decora
Acacia salicina
Alectryon oleifolius
Brachychiton populneus
Cassinia laevis
Dodonaea viscosa
Geijera parviflora
Notelaea macrocarpa
Senna barclayana
Groundcover Species:
Botanical Name
Aristida spp.
Austrostipa spp.
Austrostipa verticillata
Austrodanthonia sp
Bothriochloa spp.
Chloris spp.
Cyperus spp.
Dicanthium sericeum
Digitaria spp.
Eragrostis spp.
Sporobolus sp
Themeda australis
Typha sp
Common Name
Rough-Barked Apple
White Cypress Pine
River Oak (riparian area)
White Box
Blakely’s Red Gum
River Red Gum
Narrow-leaved Ironbark
Tumbledown Red Gum
Yellow Box
Common Name
Green Wattle
Western Golden Wattle
Cooba
Western Rosewood
Kurrajong
Cough Bush
Sticky Hop Bush
Wilga
Native Olive
Smooth Senna
Common Name
Wire Grasses
Spear Grasses
Slender Bamboo Grass
Wallaby Grass
Red Grasses
Windmill Grasses
Sedges (riparian area)
Queensland Bluegrass
Umbrella & Panic Grasses
Love Grasses
Rat’s tail Grass
Kangaroo Grass
Cumbungi (riparian area)
27
Source: Banks R.G.
(2001). Soil
Landscapes of the
Tamworth 1:100
000 Sheet Report,
Department of
Conservation and
Land Management,
Sydney
APPENDIX IV: Cover page template
Cover page
2014 Property Planning Competition Entry
‘Rosedale’
Category entering: Junior/Senior
Name of school:
Name of contributing students:
Date submitted:
28