Project implementation
Starting in June 2017 , Stomping out Sediment project sites were developed at Tabletop , Terry Creek and Strathalbyn stations . As the project progressed , additional sites were completed at Tabletop and Strathalbyn stations , and new projects were developed at 5 Mile , Glenalpine , Sutherland , Hellsgate ( with a subsidiary project at neighbouring Desmond Station ) and Johnnycake stations .
A total of 16 project sites across nine properties were completed between June 2017 and June 2022 . Additionally , Mt Pleasant Station was used as a reference site by DAF for PATCHKEY monitoring .
Total project expenditure ( including $ 22,327 of interest ) was $ 2,039,110 , while total in-kind contributions from other programs , staff time and resources , and grazier cash and in-kind contributions totalled approximately $ 372,000 . Interest earned was allocated to the acquisition and the analysis of repeat LiDAR at the Glenalpine Station project site .
The initial project sites were smaller scale ( 5-50ha project areas ) and aimed at developing and testing suitable techniques for use on a range of soil types and gully structures . Subsequent projects were scaled up with the largest project site being the 430ha Glenalpine Station project area .
The Stomping out Sediment project landscapes were generally affected by historical overgrazing which resulted in a wide range of erosion processes . The landscapes generally had poor land condition , with loss of native pasture species , reduced biomass production ( even on more productive black soils ), and were dominated by Indian couch ( Bothriochloa pertusa ).
Most project areas contained multiple gully sites ( often including sections of a major drainage line or creek ) rather than a single linear gully . This presented challenges for site monitoring , particularly given livestock “ treatments ” were used as a remediation tool rather than the Gully Toolbox recommendation of livestock exclusion . Livestock exclusion therefore became a “ control ” treatment in the monitoring program .
Project livestock treatments included :
• livestock exclusion ;
• planned grazing practices which included : o “ regenerative ” or rotational grazing practices on project paddocks ;
o planned , higher density , rotational grazing ( e . g . 3000 weaners on 60-100ha paddocks at Glenalpine for two to threedays ); and
o ultra high density livestock treatments ( e . g . 1100 head on 8ha for 24hrs at the Strathalbyn black soil site ); and
• biological carpeting ( e . g . overnight anddays camping of a large number of livestock on a small area such as the 800 head on 1ha at the Strathalbyn alluvial gully site ).
Project implementation ( see Tables 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 for details ) included :
• application of the livestock treatments ;
• management of livestock grazing in contributing gully catchments e . g . through fencing and water point distribution :
o 22km of permanent conventional fencing ; 21