Research brings life and profit to former wasteland

Research that is converting useless wasteland on Australian farms to a highly productive and valuable asset has been recognised at the 2007 CRCA Innovation Awards.

Sustainable Grazing on Saline Lands (SGSL) research by the Cooperative Research Centre for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity (CRC Salinity) has given hope to many land owners, never more so than in the drought conditions that have recently been experienced across southern Australia.

CRC Salinity CEO Kevin Goss said five years ago many people had regarded saltbush as a hardy plant that could survive on saline ground where others perished, but of limited value to profitable farming.

“The work of researchers and farmers in Western Australia has shown with supplementary feeds such as stubbles or understorey, saltbush can sustain livestock while drawing down water tables to prevent salinity,” he said.

“Further SGSL research in the eastern States and South Australia has clearly demonstrated the economic and environmental value of salt-tolerant grasses, as well as contributing to the renaissance of the humble saltbush.”

More than 40 per cent of Australia’s woolgrowers have land affected by salinity and the area is continuing to rise as a long-term consequence of land clearing. Grazing is one of the few activities that can make productive and profitable use of such land while reducing negative effects on the environment.

The SGSL initiative involved five national research projects plus a network of 120 local producer groups in five States undertaking small-scale on-farm research. At least 2,000 farmers have been directly involved through the groups and communication of results had spread the good news messages even further.

Mr Goss said the producer network had ‘reality tested’ CRC Salinity’s research and given landholders the knowledge and confidence to support investment in saline land that previously had little value. Already 1,200 farmers have changed their practices because of their involvement in SGSL.

“Rehabilitated saltland has achieved even greater worth in the recent drought where saltbush and other plants have often provided a living haystack,” Mr Goss said.

“The economic rewards in these extreme conditions are limited but the psychological rewards are great.”

SGSL is supported by Australian Wool Innovation Ltd, Meat & Livestock Australia and Land & Water Australia.