• Graziers repeatedly noted the many non-tangible benefits and outcomes of having been associated with the Stomping out Sediment project . Examples included :
o better understanding and knowledge of processes and principles ; o exposure to new ideas and networks ; and o the forming of communities of practice .
• All these changes can lead to a shift in attitudes and aspirations . These changes are not being systematically captured , yet could offer a good indication of whether practice change is likely to occur in the future ( i . e . act as lead indicators ), or indeed be enduring . There is a need to develop appropriate , low-cost monitoring frameworks to systematically report on these changes alongside the physical monitoring .
CONCLUSIONS
Glenalpine grazier Leanne O ’ Sullivan often talks about “ transformative change ”. This transformative change encompasses improved pasture , soils and landscape management , taking action for remediating eroded sites , increasing productivity and profitability , and enhancing business performance , while being an active part of the local community . The O ’ Sullivan ’ s journey along this path is eloquently described in the Glenalpine case study video . Their transformative journey has become their surrogate for realising sediment savings — follow this path and the whole landscape slowly becomes transformed .
Feedback from the project ’ s extension , engagement and training activities demonstrated there was great merit in group-based technical and education support . Real change was also clearly motivated through providing more focused and individual technical support : what Leanne O ’ Sullivan described as “ the game changer for moving forward in our industry ”. This focused support has resulted in significant change across many of the properties directly and indirectly involved in the Stomping out Sediment project . Access to technical expertise , knowledge and information is a key contributor to success of such project activities .
Demonstrated change at the individual property level has been mirrored by an expanding , grazier community of practice . The graziers that attended Stomping out Sediment extension and training activities enjoyed the debate , the field observations and the social interactions offered by the activities , they fed off new ideas and were looking for supporting research and the challenges of new concepts and new thinking . They put their observations into practice : not across tens of hectares but tens of thousands of hectares :
• Recognising grazier knowledge and practice and “ engaging in genuine discussion about the project , and more broadly , how all key stakeholders could genuinely engage and work together to find best practice solutions to land management ”.
• Encouraging and motivating a grazier community of practice : gaining specific technical support for holistic approaches to landscape and grazing management , feeding off each other ’ s ideas , and investigating and observing paddock level change , while maintaining links with educators , peers , and scientists to challenge their views and practices .
The project mechanical interventions included constructing rock chutes , water diversion banks , and full remediation of sites . In general , these activities were professionally designed and supervised by qualified officers .
• Two of the three constructed rock chutes were professionally designed and certified which attracts a high cost per unit of sediment savings . With many earthworks contractors now highly experienced with many gully management structures and techniques , the third and last rock chute was deemed lower risk and designed in-house and constructed by such an experienced contractor . As this approach was much more cost effective ( reducing design and supervision
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