CSIRO scientist Christian Roth . Glenalpine graziers Leanne and Barry O ' Sullivan .
be achieved through appropriate grazing management . Risk of failure in major events or because of poor design was also seen as an issue .
• There was consensus small engineering interventions , mainly in the form of rock chutes , had a place in the gully remediation toolbox to arrest gully head progression during the period it took to re-establish ground biomass and hydrological recovery of the upstream catchment areas of the gully .
• Except on exposed earthworks , there was limited benefit observed from ripping ( or other surface disturbance ) and re-seeding , while broadcasting seed , even on sites with limited ground cover , also produced limited establishment and survival of pasture grasses .
• Two of the three constructed rock chutes were professionally designed and certified attracting a high cost per unit of sediment savings . The third rock chute was considered lower risk and was designed in-house and constructed by an experienced contractor . This approach was more cost effective because of reduced design and supervision costs , therefore more sites could potentially be remediated through this approach .
• Water diversion banks were a tried and tested soil conservation approach to gully management . A number of designs were used in the project and in general were successful . There were on-going maintenance considerations . The cost-benefit ratios needed to be considered for each site . Lower risk structures could also be designed inhouse which was more cost effective .
• After four wet seasons , a rock capped , alluvial gully site appears to be a successful and cost effective , long term remediation project . However , where other sites generated less sediment yield , or suitable rock was no longer available , for example , the implemented remediation techniques were less successful .
Project participant attitudes and aspirations
• Graziers repeatedly noted the many nontangible benefits and outcomes associated with being involved in the project , including :
o better understanding and knowledge of processes and principles ;
o exposure to new ideas and networks ; and o forming communities of practice .
• These changes led to a shift in attitudes and aspirations , as evidenced at field event discussions . These weren ’ t systematically captured during the five-year project , however could act as a lead indicator as to whether practice change was likely to occur in the future or was enduring . Low-cost monitoring frameworks to systematically report on these changes is needed alongside monitoring physical change .
Key Recommendations
1 . Landscape management funding needs to include extension , engagement and training components to foster practice change , in the immediate and longer terms .
• Graziers respond to activities where scientists , technical advisors and field officers are part of the discussion - on an equal footing .
• Provide opportunities for one-on-one consultation , and for neighbour groups
P14 — Executive Summary