Case studies

Between 1990 and 2002 forest cover in the Yan Yan Gurt Creek Catchment in south west Victoria increased from 6% to 21% of the total area. More than 20 families have planted trees on cleared farmland with at least 10 managing their trees for sawlogs production. What makes the catchment interesting is not the scale of the revegetation that has taken place but its diversity. Family forestry not only makes a significant contribution to future wood supply but also ensures that commercial tree growing has local community support, underpins sustainable agricultural production and delivers real environmental benefits.

Jigsaw Farms in south-west Victoria, is an example of how trees can be used to benefit farming practices as well as capturing carbon. From 2003 to 2006, Greenfleet undertook seeding projects at 10 individual farms within the Jigsaw Farms network, with some remedial seeding undertaken in 2007 and 2008 to replace losses at some sites. More than 25% of Jigsaw Farms is now planted with forests or developed as wetlands. These areas were the least productive and degraded soils on the farm, so this action has not diminished production – in fact production now exceeds the ‘before new forests’ farm.

In the early 1990’s concern about the watertable rising to dangerous levels led Russell Napper to begin the first of many tree plantings on his dairy farm at Sale in Gippsland. The aim of planting was to reduce the watertable to control salinity, while also increasing production by encouraging pasture growth and providing shade and shelter for the cows. Since the start of the planting period results have been spectacular for pasture growth and productivity.

Formosa is one of four Tasmanian properties where the benefits of treed shelterbelts on pasture growth and the environment are being measured by Private Forests Tasmania, CSIRO and the University of Tasmania. During the spring of 2017, stock were excluded from the Formosa paddock, and pasture was measured and mapped across the paddock. Pasture productivity was on average 30% higher in the sheltered half of the paddock compared to the unsheltered half.