Appendix 2 Wetland grazing: Macquarie Marshes and Gwydir Wetlands

Landholder survey

Privacy and consent statement – PLEASE READ The NSW Department of Primary Industries will collect your personal information for the purposes of assessing the issues associated with the management of grazing in wetland areas. The supply of your personal information is voluntary. Data collected from this survey will be aggregated and reported using group indicators. No individual information will be identified. The aggregated data may be released to other agencies or organisations only for the purposes of assessing the management of grazing in wetland areas. Information provided by you will be stored securely by NSW DPI. You have the right to access or correct this information by contacting Simon Speirs at the NSW Department of Primary Industries on 02 6881 1267 or by writing to PO Box 865, Dubbo NSW 2830. LANDHOLDER

I have read the Privacy Statement and understand that my information will remain anonymous. I consent to NSW DPI using the information I provide in the manner described in the Privacy Statement.

Name Signature Date INTERVIEWER Name Signature

Purpose statement: This survey is aimed at understanding current management practices in the Macquarie Marshes and Gwydir Wetlands for the purposes of developing BMP guidelines. Its objective is to understand reasons behind management decisions and to identify areas where individual graziers may be able to improve management through the experiences of others. The survey aims to capture landholder research, training and extension needs.

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Contact details (not compulsory)

Mail address

Telephone

Mobile

Facsimile

E-mail

Company, partnership or corporate name:

Property Name:

Lot and DP numbers:

Owner/occupier or manager (if manager – corporate or private):

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Property details

1. Total Property Area (Ha)

2. Tenure

3. Current Wetland Area (estimation of Ha) How much of this is covered during a large flood?

4. Pre 2000 Wetland Area (estimation of Ha)

5. Pre 1990 Wetland Area (estimation of Ha)

6. Pre-regulation wetland size (if

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known)

7. Does the farm have a written business plan? Yes No

8. Have you sought technical or financial assistance from your Catchment Management Authority or other Natural Resource Management authority; e.g. DPI, DECC, DWE, Landcare etc. (Please give details)

9. What agricultural and non-agricultural activities are conducted by your business?

Cows: head

Steers: head

Heifers: head

Calves: head

Beef cattle

Cattle stud

Breed/s:

Ewes: head

Lambs: head

Weathers: head

Sheep – wool

Sheep – fat lambs

Sheep – stud

Breed/s:

Livestock

Comments (has this changed over time; identify and trends in numbers):

Please describe the role of your livestock enterprise as part of the farm business (E.g. Is it the only primary production enterprise, part of a mixed enterprise, or opportunistic activity, etc?):

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Yield (ha)

Area (ha)

Yield (acre)

Area (acre)

Wheat

Cotton

………

………

………

Cropping (Irrigated or Dryland?) (if more than one, indicate percentage of total area cropped)

………

Please describe the role of your cropping activities as part of the farm business

Farm stay Tourism other than farm stay (e.g. recreational hunting)

Other

Other ……………………….. Please describe the role of your other activities as part of the farm business (diversification off farm/on farm)

10. Did the farm make a profit 2003 – 2004 Yes No

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during (Which aspects were profitable, which weren’t, changes in overheads): Comments:

Comments:

2004 – 2005 Yes No

Comments:

2005 – 2006 Yes No

Comments:

2006 – 2007 Yes No

Comments:

2007 – 2008 Yes No

11. How has your farm debt changed in the last 10 years? Risen Fallen

Comments (How has the past 10 years compared to previous decades, i.e. the 80’s and 90’s in terms of debt?):

12. Is farm income sufficient to make desired changes to the farm business (other than maintenance)? Yes No

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Comments (changes could include such things as altered grazing regimes, change in enterprises, succession planning, etc):

13. What prevents you from adopting new management practices?

Comments:

14. Does off farm income support the business? Yes No

Comments (What type of off farm diversification):

15. What social and aesthetic value do you put on the wetlands?

16. What purpose does your wetland fulfil within the farm business (e.g. drought refuge, primary grazing area, recreational/aesthetic, etc)?

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17. What is the economic value of the wetland to the farm business?

What % profit does the wetland contribute to your operation as compared to the higher country? Has this % changed from the 80’s and 90’s?

18. What permits or licences are you required to have to manage your farm?

Water extraction Vegetation clearing

Lakebed cropping Other………………

Comments:

Use of wetland/s 19. In what ways do you use your

wetland/s?

Extract water For dry feed For grazing For cropping

Area: …………. Ha or …………. ac

Area: …………. Ha or …………. ac

Area: …………. Ha or …………. ac

Comments:

20. If you extract water, approximately how much per year is removed (in ML)?

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21. Where does your water come from, and what is it used for (e.g. flood water is used for stock and domestic/opportunistic cropping, etc)

22. How is water distributed across your wetlands? i.e., are there main channels (natural or built?), or is the whole area pretty much one level

23. What indicators (pasture health, animal condition, etc), if any, do you use to start relocating stock?

24. What do you see as the main costs associated with managing your wetland effectively?

25. What do you see as the main costs associated with NOT managing your wetland effectively (e.g. erosion, longer lag times between flooding events and effective regrowth, etc)?

26. What will be your main costs associated with changing the ways you use /

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manage your wetland?

Wetland issues / threats 27. Are you aware of any culturally significant areas on your property and are you

aware of the significance of your wetland to Aboriginal people (locally/regionally)? If so, what are they?

28. Are there feral animal problems around the wetland? Problem/s:

Implications for management:

29. What percentage of the wetland’s soils are disturbed? ………..% (stock trampling, cultivation, vehicle tracks, carp)

Comments:

Isolated patches throughout

Concentrated in certain areas

Evenly distributed throughout

Only around the edges

Other...

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Implications for management:

30. Is there group commitment on the part of graziers in relation to specific issues in your wetland area (e.g. Lippia control)? Comments

31. How do you reduce the risk of weed invasion and spread on your property?

Regular inspections for and treatment of weeds

Maintain high levels of groundcover to reduce / prevent establishment

Reduce / prevent seed set in existing problem areas

Clean machinery, tools etc used in weedy areas thoroughly

Obtain a vendor declaration of weed status of fodder, seed etc before purchase

Spray Non applicable Other ……..

Comments:

32. What do you think is causing weed infestations in the Macquarie Marshes and Gwydir Wetlands? Please outline with examples (flood volume and regularity, land degradation, poor machinery hygiene, up wind/stream infestations etc)

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33. Are there any other issues or threats to your wetlands that are relevant to sustainable grazing management (e.g. seed bank management, noxious weeds)?

Wetland details 34. What wetland plants do you have on your property?

Submerged plants that may have floating leaves e.g. Water ribbons, water lilies Yes No

Floating plants such as Azolla Yes No

Emergent plants such as rushes and sedges Yes No

Plants around the edge of your wetland such as sedges and rushes, pasture, woodland, etc Yes No

35. How would you rate the health of vegetation surrounding your wetlands? (can you see new vegetation establishing, a range of different species, etc, or is the vegetation looking stressed, dying, consists of only a few species, or is dominated by weeds).

healthy average poor

Comments:

36. Do you think wetland vegetation changed significantly through time? Yes No

Comments (why?):

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37. What fish or other aquatic organisms have you seen in or near your wetland?

38. What reptiles and mammals have you seen in or near your wetland?

39. What birds have you seen in or near your wetland and have you seen any evidence of waterbird nesting? If so, where?

Grazing management practices in your wetlands 40. Do you use cropping to improve pasture in the

wetlands Yes No

Please outline the processes involved:

41. What is the area of wetlands with fencing to control stock access (use diagram if possible)? …………. hectares or …………….. acres

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42. How close do you crop (including improved pasture) to your wetland areas? ……………….. Comments:

43. How do you manage parasites in your livestock (stock licks, drench, etc)?

44. Do you manage grazing according to ground cover? Does this method provide protection to your pasture species composition? Please provide details

45. Do you use land classes to help determine stocking rates?

46. If you do (or could) manage grazing according to ground cover in wetlands, what proportion of ground cover would you see as an appropriate trigger for stock entry/removal? …………% If you do, what drives these decisions (i.e. what are the triggers for these decisions)?

Is the same estimate appropriate for grazing of non-wetland areas of your property?

47. Which of the following grazing regimes best describes your management practice?

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Set stocking Rotational grazing based on time

Rotational grazing based on pasture growth / condition

Comments:

48. Do you have watering points placed in or away from wetland / waterway areas?

Are these watering points dams or troughs; and what is the water source for these points?

How do you use these watering points in your grazing enterprise? (used for managing grazing pressure rather than fencing, etc?)

49. Do you actively plant or encourage the regeneration of shelter belts / shade trees situated away from the edge of wetlands for stock management?

Comments:

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50. How do you utilise the feed in wetlands during: Dry periods

Wet periods

51. Do you have a drought management plan which includes identifying triggers for reducing stock numbers?

Please detail how you manage a shortfall in fodder during drought (purchase fodder, stock agistment)

Please detail how you manage a shortfall in stock water during drought:

52. Do you manage fodder in your wetland to allow seed set and development of rhizomes (e.g. Phragmites, water couch)? Comments:

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53. Do you think nutrification (excess nutrients causing problems, e.g. algal blooms) is an issue in the Macquarie Marshes/Gwydir Wetlands?

54. What farm activities could be contributing nutrients to the wetland?

None Stock access Irrigation run-off Waste disposal

Fertiliser use Run off from paddocks Other………………………….

Comments:

55. Do you use agricultural chemicals on your property? Details

56. When using chemicals, do you do things to minimise contamination of your wetlands?

No Sometimes Always Maybe but not specifically

Details:

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Technical knowledge 57. Have you identified the soil types on your property? Yes No

Comments:

58. Have you identified the pasture plants on your property? Yes No Comments:

59. Have you identified the level and location of salinity risk on your property? Yes No Comments:

60. Do you monitor water table levels? Yes No Comments:

61. Do you manage your soils by testing or monitoring soil microbiology? Yes No Comments:

62. Do you do any nutrient budgeting prior to crop or pasture planting? Yes No Comments:

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63. Do you use conservation tillage practices? Yes No Comments:

64. Do you avoid cultivating in certain conditions? Yes No Only if absolutely

needed

Comments:

65. Have you assessed the condition of native vegetation on your property? Yes No Comments (by what means, e.g. PVP, Uni study, etc?):

66. Have you identified rare and threatened species that occur on or utilise your property? Yes No Comments:

67. Do you leave large, dead trees in paddocks/wetlands as habitat trees? Yes No Comments:

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68. What (if any) do you as a grazier see as the 5 main constraints to grazing wetlands (both natural and man made)? 1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

69. What (if any) do you as a grazier see as the 5 main research needs for the Macquarie Marshes/Gwydir Wetlands? 1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

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70. What (if any) do you as a grazier see as the 5 main training/extension needs for graziers in the Macquarie Marshes/Gwydir Wetlands? 1-

2-

3-

4-

5-

Aspirations 71. What are you hoping to achieve on your property in the next:

5yrs

10yrs

Improve productivity

Improve / maintain social/aesthetic values

Improve grazing management

Improve stock control

Improve biodiversity

Integrate stock management with protecting environment

Credentials for sustainable land management

Other

72. In what areas do you feel you need more information, training and/or skills?

Information:

Training:

Skills:

Individual recommendations 73. What do you think the broad principles for managing grazing in wetlands of this

area should be? Rank in order of importance.

74. How do you want the information from the Grazing BMP presented (e.g. web-based, document form, series of fact sheets, series of videos available online, etc.)

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