Holbrook Efforts Are Part of Conservation Jigsaw
Getting Involved
Andy Watson’s 1,200 hectare farm is north of Holbrook, in the Slopes to Summit region of the Great Eastern Ranges. He runs 650–700 cows and up to 700 breeding ewes, and at any one time may have several hundred hectares under crop. When Andy started farming the property in the late 1990s it had a lot of feed on it and good organic levels. But the 2003 drought changed all that. As he describes it 'when you have a failed spring, nothing grows'.Â
Andy was determined to return the property to the way it was. With help from the Murray Catchment Management Authority and the Holbrook Landcare Group he started planting trees, tackling salinity, and fencing remnant vegetation on his property.
'All the things you do to help the environment and help yourself at the same time.'
Walking around his property Andy points to big native trees dotting the paddocks. Many are dying, and there is a distinct lack of birdlife. He estimates he has lost 33% of his big trees; a situation that troubles him as he believes big trees are too valuable to lose.Â
He decided to do something about it.
'About 6 years ago we began by establishing tree plantations about 30Â m wide with a mix of Eucalypts and we have continued ever since.'
The property now has a number of shelter belts and tree corridors. They bring back the birds, controlling insects and helping to return organic matter to the soil.
A recent project involved a 12 hectare area damaged by salt. Andy planted vegetation to lower the watertable, stop waterlogging and prevent salt creeping in.
'2 years ago we had 12 hectares of non-productive sour land which was nothing. Now it is productive cropping land which will be around for the next 15 years.'
Andy stresses there must be a balance between productivity and conservation because 'I make money from cows and calves not planting trees'. That is why he is following a 10Â year plan to improve on farm productivity through carefully-targeted conservation measures.
'When you fence off gullies, plant tree corridors and the like your farm retains water. That goes into my hip pocket.'
Andy’s are among many conservation efforts that join like jigsaw pieces throughout the Great Eastern Ranges to preserve, protect and restore the environment.
