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Latest News and
Newsletters

Northern Rivers CMA
December
E-news
(including funding opportunities)

North Coast Weeds

drumMuster
how and where to dispose of chemical containers

The NRCMA Biodiversity Grant Program for private landowners and others has grants available up to $45,000. All interested parties should contact the CMA office at Alstonville by phone 66270170, ask for Michael Hallinan. Details

New Website
for graziers
AIMS
Agriculture Information and Monitoring Services

National Geographic
Sept 08
'Our Good Earth- The future rests on the soil beneath our feet'

'Bean and gone'
SMH interviews OUR Dave Forrest

NSW Farmers Association Farmer of the Year 2008 'focuses on groundcovers'

The Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA) board members and staff visited farms of SoilCare Inc members to observe and learn about sustainable soil management. 1st stop was the pecan farm of Debbie and Geoff Bugden. Geoff (left) explains to CMA board members, Lorina Barker, Sally Wright and CMA Chair Judy Henderson about soil management on their farm using biological farming methods he studied at NRCMA/SoilCare Inc sponsored TAFE courses on Biological Farming. 2nd stop was Wendy and Jos Webber's coffee plantation where Jos spoke about the NRCMA/National Landcare Program/SoilCare Inc funded Northern Rivers Soil Health Card and Soil Best Management Practice Guide for Coffee. 3rd stop was Oxley Plantation where Andrew Starkey talked about his legume ground cover trials composting on farm and the NRCMA/SoilCare Inc sponsored TAFE classes in Biological Farming.   Jiggi Valley Farmers Landcare Group hosted a GREAT 'Soil Health' field day on 13 September. Graham Lancaster (Environmental Analysis Laboratory) explains to the audience how soil biological activity provides access to previously 'unavailable' total nutrients and cycling of nutrients. Facing the crowd, Dave Forrest from TAFE Wollongbar (right) and Mike McCosker from Ausmin Australia (left) answer questions about sustainable soil manangement.   'Put the fun back in farming', Gary Zimmer says. You would not find a group of farmers having more fun than those pictured below in the SoilCare/Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority sponsored TAFE Wollongbar 'Biological Farming' class with teacher Dave Forrest. Northern River's Soil Health Cards and Soil Best Management Practice Guides Northern Rivers Soil Health Cards and Soil Best Management Practice Guides for Perennial Horticulture and Vegetables have been released. The documents were produced by farmers for farmers in a project funded by the NR Catchment Management Authority. Dave Forrest demonstrated the Soil Health Cards to (above) pecan growers at their recent AGM and (right) to vegetable growers at a recent field day at Cudgen. Dave demonstrates the soil aggregate stability test.   National Landcare Programme Project Best Practice Soil Health and Conservation in Macadamia Plantations  Participants enjoyed the SoilCare Farmer to Farmer field day on 6 February. Learn how four innovative farmers have taken steps to manage soil erosion and improve soil health.
Debra Lewis and Mark Atkinson  (McLeans Ridges) are planting a new macadamia orchard.  To reduce the volume of water entering the orchard from an adjoining property they have constructed a drain to redirect run-on to a stable gully catchment thus minimising erosion. Details of this project.	John Webster (Agnutta at Clunes) has removed 25% of the trees (every 2nd tree in every 2nd row) in a crowded block to improve light penetration.  The trees have been chipped and chips spread on the orchard floor.  Smother grass has been planted in squares throughout the block. Details of this project.
Meg and Peter Fleming (McLeans Ridges) have removed 25% of the trees in a block with little or no light penetration to the orchard floor and minimal ground cover. Trees were chipped and a mixture of millet, carpet grass, broadleaf paspalum and haifa clover was broadcast planted and sprigs of smother grass manually planted. Details of this project.	Anne and Shaun Stead (Jiggi) are using limb removal in 18 year old macadamia trees to enhance light penetration through the canopy and down to the ground covers. Prunings are chipped and the chips are put directly back under the trees to enhance erosion control and increase biological activity. Details of this project.