• Detailed plot analysis such as : o Bare Ground Index ;
o Landscape Function Analysis ( Tongway and Hindley , 1999 ) - soil surface condition and associations to connectivity , runoff and infiltration or leakiness ;
o BOTANAL ( Tothill et al ., 1992 ) - species composition and relationship to biomass , cover , basal area , if included , and pasture biomass ;
o PATCHKEY technique ( see Appendix 2 of the final report );
o Soil description and chemical analysis ; and
o Soil carbon and microbiology .
NQ Dry Tropics negotiated to include Stomping out Sediment project properties in the CSIRO and University of Southern Queensland ( USQ ), Understanding the role of regenerative grazing management practices in improving land condition , runoff and water quality research project funded by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation . This project used sites at Glenalpine , Strathalbyn and Mt . Pleasant to better understand the impacts of planned grazing on landscape and land condition outcomes .
Contributing reports
A number of reports contributed to understandings around project outcomes including :
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries monitoring reports .
• University of Southern Queensland report on soil health parameters .
• Griffith University report on LiDAR .
NQ Dry Tropics CEO Scott Crawford is flanked by Mt Pleasant grazier Jamie Gordon ( left ) and Stomping out Sediment project manager Rod Kerr .
There is a summary of these reports in the final project report .
Extension , engagement and training program
Twenty-seven grazing planning one-onone extension advice opportunities were provided to graziers through Bob Shepherd , DAF ;
Bob Shepherd DAF
Brian Welhburg ,
Inside Outside Management ; Dick Richardson , Grazing Naturally ; Raymond Stacey , RCS ; and Jamie Gordon , Mt . Pleasant Station ( peer to peer ).
The 16 training and extension events attracted 300 attendances ( 150 individuals ). Most were from the Bowen and Collinsville area but people also came from a wide area including Ayr , Belyando Crossing , Cape York , Charters Towers , Clermont , Georgetown , Gumlu , Mareeba , Mingela , Mt . Garnet and Ravenshoe . Representatives from Woodstock and Dalrymple Landcare , Terrain NRM and Northern Gulf NRM also attended events . Many participants attended multiple events .
Field events were great social occasions for graziers , scientists , and NRM field officers , to discuss land management approaches .
Events often continued past the nominated finish time . Barbeques and dinners , often held after the activities , provided excellent networking and
Brian Wehlburg , Inside Outside Management
Dick Richardson , Grazing Naturally
P8 — Executive Summary