smallholder timber production in australia – lessons for much smaller african farms
DESCRIPTION
Smallholder timber production in Australia – Lessons for much smaller African farmsTRANSCRIPT
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The Australian Master TreeGrower
Rowan ReidThe Australian Master TreeGrower
www.agroforestry.net.au
• Bach. Forest Science• Masters in Agroforestry
Rowan Reid
• Masters in Agroforestry• Senior Lecturer 20 years
(University of Melbourne)• Farmer and Tree grower
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www.agroforestry.net.au
Cleared by farmers for farming
http://audit.ea.gov.au/anra/people/docs/national/Final%20Audit%20Report%20Vol1.doc
Private farmland
.. and most Australians benefited…
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BUT - we went a little too far ….. Too far for soil and water quality ….
Too far for biodiversity ……….. Too far for stock shade and shelter …..
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Too far for comfort!
Facing the future with this!Facing the future with this!
Loss of Pride Handing this on to the next generation
We all know trees can helpBut farmers seem reluctant
1987
Making trees ‘attractive’ to farmers
Bambra Agroforestry Farm as it was in 1987
Bambra Agroforestry Farm in 1988
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Rowan building the house in1990 Unique and personal solution
1987
Plant to solve the problems
1993
1987
Manage to create opportunities ($)
6 yrs 16 yrs
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Bambra Agroforestry Farm in 2004 Black Walnut, Poplar and Chestnut in 1988. Note electric fencing rings
Black Walnut, Poplar and Chestnut in 19206. Pinus radiata in 1989.
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Pinus radiata in about 2010. Tree Management
Australian Red Cedar (left) and Californian Coastal Redwood
BA:DBH Ratio as a thinning guideSee: www.agroforestry.net.au (go to publications)
Pruning and thinning for multiple values
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Variable lift pruning (caliper) Thousands of visitors since 1988
But can it work?
15 – 20 yearsyears
1987
Harvest to enhance not degrade
6 yrs 16 yrs
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Chainsaw milling Grevillea Bandsaw milling Eucalypts (age 22 years)
Landcare wood!
Table made from timber harvested from this creek – planted 1988, harvested 2004
Eucalyptus nitens
Shiitake – the product (left Oak, right Eucalypt)
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Agroforestry is about Appropriate design & Elegant solutions
Every farm (farmer) is different
Role of Research
Silvopastoral systems:- Pines and Grazing
Role of Research
Science should inform farmer decision making – not replace itp
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1. What’s the problem/issue
Agroforestry Research
1. What s the problem/issue2. Underlying Processes3. Role of trees4. Market Specifications5. Species, management, etc 6 M lti t iti6. Multipurpose opportunities7. Economics & Risk (?)8. Landscape & Community
change
How does all this relate to Africa?
Why do African farmers want trees?
• Shelter/Fodder (Stock/Crops) 75%
Why Australian farmers plant trees?
• Shelter/Fodder (Stock/Crops) 75%• Land Protection 50%• Nature Conservation 30%• Aesthetics 10%
Farm timber (fuel posts) 3%• Farm timber (fuel,posts) 3%• Commercial timber 1%
ABARE ’97, ’00 AFFA ’00 and many others
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Multipurpose Design
RiskBonus RiskBonus
Now Pride
Multipurpose Design
Albizia gummifera/Coffee
Grevillea/Coffee/Maize
Farmer GroupsFacilitating farmer participation
SEE: www.oan.org.au
What we do
• charge membershipprovide education/skills• provide education/skills
• undertake site visits• provide peer mentors• facilitate market links• build information networks• build information networks• lobby government/industry• seek funds to pay for it all
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We talk about trees and our landscapes and communities
African farmers also talk
African farmer groups do the same
• charge membershipprovide education/skills• provide education/skills
• undertake site visits• provide peer mentors• facilitate market links• build information networks• build information networks• lobby government/industry• seek funds to pay for it all
1994
B t t t kBut trees take time to deliver
rewards
1999
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Trees take time to deliver rewards Time does not wearya forest worth owning
Time does not wearya forest worth owning The Australian Master TreeGrower
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The Australian Master TreeGrower95 Courses>2000 Participants>2000 Participants
SEE: www.agroforestry.net.au
Like teaching someone to paint
Part One (1 day)Mastering trees on farms
• Farmer interestsFarmer interests
• Stakeholder interests
P l• Personal multipurpose landscapes
Talk about the problems & opportunities
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Part Two (3 days): Trees for conservation & profit
MarketsProducts and Services
Market SpecificationsHarvesting, Trading and Prices
The Master TreeGrower Tape
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Master TreeGrower Tape Management: the secrets of silviculture
Management: the secrets of silviculture Part Three (3 days) Fitting veg. into farming landscapes
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On farmOn farm discussions
about possibilities
&& opportunities
Economics: Balancing short and long term rewards and risk
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Part four (1 day) Building long term networks Impact on their own land
Impact on what other farmers do Farmer to farmer communication
• Interpretation• Interpretation• Validation • Adaptation• Evaluation
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Facilitating Farmer to farmer communication
“Intellectual Infrastructure”
Peer Group Mentor Program
Train Peer Group Mentors What Peer Group Mentors do
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What Peer Group Mentors do What Peer Group Mentors do
Not “Top Down” extension
CMA Gov’t Agencies Researchers Industry GroupsCMA. Gov t Agencies. Researchers. Industry Groups.
Landholders
More of a “participatory approach”
Mentors Agency staff/research
“Experts”
Farmers/landholders
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We become ‘Super mentors’
Landholder Issues
Mentors and Extension Agents
Researchers/Agency/Industry
Impact on the rural landscape
Trees don’t change landscapes – People do
?
Thank You