All in Data and Information

Remote sensing data and crop water measurements

mgabelle — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:30:41 +0000

Investigation of the relationships between remote sensing data recorded in satellite imagery and a comprehensive set of crop water measurements (taken in a vineyard and an almond orchard) was the project chosen by Flinders University of SA student Claire Williams.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

PhD Student

Host Organisation:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Researchers:

Claire Williams

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Mapping and Modelling

Water (General)

Keywords:

Remote Sensing

Satellite Imagery

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Growing Sense of Place

superuser — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:24:14 +0000

Michael Petter has been on so many committees over the last 20 years hes barely had time to stop and think, let alone work out just how far the community has come in those two decades of change.

IDs and People

Program:

Innovation

Program Theme:

Community Fellows

Research Type:

Community Fellow

Researchers:

Michael Petter

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

NRM Processes

Landscapes

Keywords:

2002 2003 Community Fellow

Project Information

Summary:

Michael Petter has been on so many committees over the last 20 years hes barely had time to stop and think, let alone work out just how far the community has come in those two decades of change.

Since helping establish the urban catchment movement in Brisbane in 1984, Michaels life has become busier and busier working with a diverse range of Landcare, conservation, community groups and ministerial advisory committees.

Now it’s time for a breather.

‘I would like to get away from the phone, the fax and the email to write some training documents and articles outlining the methods I have used, and to exchange ideas with natural resource management groups in South-eastern Australia’ says Michael.

‘Many of the aims of the original environment and natural resource movement of SEQ are now reflected in the number of catchment, Landcare and environment groups, local and state government plans, and broad changes in the understanding of the local community’ says Michael.

Land & Water Australias Community Fellowship will support Michael as he shares with other community based catchment organisers his ‘Growing sense of place manual’.

More information

Michael’s manual - Growing Sense of Place

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Rotherlea - Hosting community co-operation, research & development, in land & water management

superuser — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:39:17 +0000

Turning their property ‘Rotherlea’ into an open-air classroom for researchers and community groups has enabled Angus Howell and Diana Chomley to assist others understand the environmental issues being managed by farmers.

IDs and People

Program:

Innovation

Program Theme:

Community Fellows

Research Type:

Community Fellow

Researchers:

Samuel Angus-Howell

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Landscapes

Project Information

Summary:

Angus has been involved in Landcare since before the movement’s inception and he has assisted many groups and individuals plan for and deal with a range of land management issues.

Angus and Diana will use their Land & Water Australia Community Fellowship to produce a booklet recording Angus’s role as an initiator and forerunner in the Landcare movement and a brochure about ‘Rotherlea’ which will be provided to groups visiting the property.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Advanced airborne technologies for mapping and monitoring native Australian vegetation

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:06:43 +0000

Airborne sensors can be used by natural resource managers and researchers to collect visible (vegetation cover) and invisible (such as canopy condition or water use) data.

IDs and People

Program:

Innovation

Program Theme:

Innovation Call

Research Type:

Innovation Call

LWA Project Code:

002246

Host Organisation:

Flinders University

Researchers:

Dr Jorg Hacker

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Monitoring and Assessment

Native Vegetation

Project Information

Summary:

This project proved that airborne sensors could gather useful information that is visible (vegetation cover) and not visible (such as canopy condition or water use) for natural resource managers and researchers. Dr Jorg Hacker (Flinders University’s Centre for Airborne Research) is combining lasers to measure heights and other technologies (digital video and multispectral scanners) under the wing of aircraft to gather data from large areas, faster and more accurately than many land managers thought possible.

The project was a proof of concept that airborne laser scanning and airborne hyperspectral imaging equipment could be combined and used to detect, map and monitor vegetation and water use. The combined technologies has added value to the natural resource management community in field trial collaborations such as:

(a) a 6,000km of benchmark river surveys in remote areas of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape Yorke Peninsula Q (Sept 2007) linked to Land & Water Australia’s project GRU-37 (“A remote sensing approach for mapping and classifying riparian gully erosion in Tropical Australia”)

(b) understanding water use in irrigated and natural landscapes around Narrandera NSW www.nafe.unimelb.edu.au

(c) micro-climate and land-vegetation-atmosphere interaction around the Rabbit-proof Fence in Western Australia (ARC/NSF-funded Dec 2006)

(d) surveying the Rubicon Catchment near Devonport January 2007, and

(e) the project has developed the capacity (and success) of the research team to attract other research investment so that there is now a ready capacity and examples of its application.

The new research capacity has been in demand and continues to attract research funding support.

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Resources

External Links:

Airborne scanners put native vegetation on the map (Land & Water Australia, 26 May 2009)

Irrigation Futures of the Goulburn Broken Catchment

superuser — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:28:25 +0000

The Goulburn Broken Irrigation Futures project used scenario planning with extensive stakeholder engagement to develop a vision and strategies for irrigated agriculture in the region over the next 30 years.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

VPI3

Host Organisation:

Department of Primary Industries and Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures

Researchers:

Dr Q.J. Wang

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Mapping and Modelling

Innovation

Primary Industries

Catchment Management

Irrigation

Keywords:

futures

sustainable irrigation

Catchment

census

Project Information

Outcomes:

The project outputs have recorded the above regional scale and agency-specific assessments and strategies. That work will assist agencies and businesses in the region to prepare for the future of irrigated agriculture over the next 30 years. The project has also demonstrated that scenario planning can be used with communities for regional planning. It has provided a methodology for such planning that can be used by other regional communities. The methodology provides a step-by-step guide to the processes used in the Goulburn Broken Irrigation Futures project, and the lessons learnt by the project team though their implementation.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Project Background:

The Goulburn Broken Catchment is a major contributor to the state and national economies and the quality of life of consumers. The region faces significant challenges and opportunities. Issues such as free-trade agreements, climate change, water reform, and technological developments will have a significant influence on the future. As one of the oldest gravity irrigation systems in Australia, Goulburn-Murray Water’s irrigation system needs substantial renewal of its ageing infrastructure in the next 20 years. The consequences of these pressures are highly uncertain and will impact on the region’s economy, environmental assets and social fabric. It is therefore critical that the region develops a sound plan to strategically position itself for irrigation in the future.

Aims:

The project objectives were to:

Facilitate key stakeholders to develop a shared vision for the future of irrigation in the Goulburn Broken Region over the next 30 years, and to identify scenarios of major constraints and opportunities and of regional response options
Understand the social, economic and environmental consequences of various scenarios through impact assessment that integrates the best available knowledge
Facilitate key stakeholders to build consensus on preferred regional options for future irrigation, and recommend regional follow-up actions.
Develop a methodology that can be applied elsewhere in Australia for sustainable irrigation planning at a catchment scale.

Knowledge & tools to manage fertigation technologies in highly productive citrus orchards for minimal environmental footprint

superuser — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 02:02:20 +0000

High frequency fertigation is being adopted by Australian citrus producers as an alternative to traditional approaches to supplying water and mineral nutrients to trees. Information, guidelines and practical tools to assess performance are insufficient to support the economic & sustainable use of these technologies for citrus production on Australian soils.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

DAN5027

Host Organisation:

NSW DPI/SARDI

Researchers:

Michael Treeby

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Landscape Management

Soils

Irrigation

Keywords:

Citrus

fertigation

nitrate

leaching

management tools

rootstocks

uptake

soil solution

Project Information

Outcomes:

Adoption of practices associated with:

more efficient use of water
more efficient use of mineral fertilisers
reduced on- and off-site impacts of the use of modern irrigation/fertigation technologies
improved awareness and raised understanding of issues underpinning appropriate use of irrigation/fertigation technologies in other high value horticultural crops

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Background

Project Background:

It is generally accepted that drip irrigation is the most efficient irrigation system, and the adoption of drip irrigation systems is generally accompanied by the adoption of technologies that allow nutrient application as frequently as water application. Sometimes these technologies are adopted along with a confidential service agreement, in which case management regimes (i.e. fertiliser recipes) are prescribed. More often, these technologies are being adopted without support, and nutrient supply regimes are based on experience and hearsay, and nutrient inputs often reflect the inefficiencies inherent in delivery technologies used in the past.

Either way, wider knowledge and higher skill levels are needed, and a lack of such skills and that knowledge are an impediment to adoption and to the most efficient use and management of drip irrigation/fertigation technologies by growers. Research and extension organisations have very little or no experience with the newer technologies, and are unable to properly service the skills and information needs of growers. Thus, there is a strong need to demonstrate to industry the integration of modern efficient drip irrigation management with current “best bet” nutrient supply based on advanced understanding of citrus nutrient needs. There is also a strong need to widen the knowledge and skills base of growers and increase the availability of decision support tools. This will enable better decisions to be made in relation to irrigation and nutrient supply to reduce the potential environmental foot print associated with the mismanagement water and nutrient supply.

Aims:

Develop guidelines, practical grower-friendly tools and information packages and provide training for irrigators and support industry for the sustainable and economical use of the new fertigation technologies in citrus production by:

quantifying nutrient capture by roots of commercially relevant citrus rootstock genotypes in relation to supply
establishing commercial-scale demonstration sites of commercially relevant citrus scion varieties growing on commercially relevant rootstock genotypes by re-developing existing plantings to enable short- and long-term responses to nutrient supply to be quantified
developing framework to quantify water and nutrient escape below the rootzone of citrus trees growing in lysimeters
identifying the phenological stages when leaching is most likely to occur
evaluating and demonstrating to industry the efficacy of nutrient capture under different short- and long-term supply regimes using demonstration sites
studying the effect of commonly practiced high intensity fertigation regimes on salt, water and nutrient movement within and below the root zone of the commercially relevant citrus enterprises
calibrating a 2D/3D solute transport model under lysimeters and validate under field conditions for predicting nutrient and water flux beyond the root zone

Farm Dam Management

superuser — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:30:38 +0000

This proposal will develop and deliver integrated farm dam management information to allow irrigation businesses to optimise the use and returns from farm dams.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

CIF5032

Host Organisation:

Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures

Researchers:

Deborah Atkins

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Landscape Management

Water (General)

Irrigation

Keywords:

Aquaculture

Evaporation

integration

seepage

drainage

recycling

Project Information

Outcomes:

Farm dam asset managed for optimal benefits by irrigation dependent businesses by:

Improving quality of advice available to farm managers from advisors and consultants
Increasing the effective irrigation water available from farm dams by providing accessible information and options for managing and reducing water losses,
Providing decision support tools where advisors, consultants and dam managers can assess technical and financial options for reducing excessive losses from drainage, seepage and evaporation,
Highlighting potential other usages of farm dams such as for water recycling and aquaculture.

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Current Activities:

The next 6 months will be in compiling Version 1 of the resource package. This will include list of resources, current research and links to information. There will be two field days for farmers in central NSW and North-east Victoria to pass on information on methods to estimate evaporation and seepage losses and methods to reduce losses. Training days will be available for advisors and consultants in using equipment and software and the latest research.
A Dam Evaporation Calculator that helps a person estimate the costs of mitigation techniques will be available on the CRCIF website along with a technical manual.
Three case studies will be started on dairy, horticulture and viticulture enterprises to present information on successful farm dam management.

Background

Project Background:

Australia has in excess of two million farm dams. In this project farm dams cover both structure which intercept water from watercourses and overland run-off and “on-farm” storages which pump water into dams, from rivers, groundwater or channels for storage.

Outside of major irrigation schemes and groundwater systems these provide an important source of irrigation water to the viticulture, horticulture and dairy industries. Farm dams also provide flexibility for growers to store water on-farm and optimise the use of water availability.

Farm dams management is becoming more important. The drought and subsequent water shortages has focused attention on managing water stored in farm dams. Further more, farm dams are being subject to greater controls in most jurisdictions.

Much of the information currently available has focused on construction of farm dams (eg Barrett 2007, Lewis 2002). This project addresses the need for information on the management of existing farm dams.

Aims:

To collate the most up-to-date resources on dam management
To create an integrated summary
To further develop the Dam Economic Ready Reckoner software and integrate an online tutorial
To improve the quality of advice given by advisors and consultants by offering information through the Farm Dam Resource Kit and training in using software

Quantifying surface water - groundwater exchange using thermal & chemical measurements

superuser — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:16:14 +0000

This project will develop field equipment and a proven scientific methodology that will quantify surface water - groundwater transfer to aquifers beneath river beds and therefore contribute to the mapping of the many and complex connections and interactions between groundwater and the surface water - dams, lakes, rivers, wetlands.

IDs and People

Program:

National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

UNS5127

Host Organisation:

Water Research Laboratory - University of New South Wales

Researchers:

Prof. Richard Ian Acworth

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Mapping and Modelling

Water (General)

Catchment Management

Keywords:

Rivers

Groundwater

Catchment

Storage Reservoirs

Floodplain

Project Information

Outcomes:

As a result of this project, there will be much improved knowledge and understanding of a process that can, in turn, inform policy development and water allocation decisions. The new knowledge will allow development of advisory and/or project management services based upon deployment and interpretation of the sondes.

In addition field data acquired by the sondes could provide much needed independent confirmation of various other modelling studies.

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Background

Project Background:

Australia is often said to be the driest continent on Earth - but that’s only because of its low rainfall. In fact, while the surface of the land is dry, we have massive groundwater reserves.

Groundwater makes it possible to grow much of our irrigated crops and pastures. Governments are looking increasingly to these aquifers to provide drinking water for our growing towns and cities. Groundwater use has almost doubled nationally in the past two decades, (it now makes up more than one-fifth of all the water we harvest) yet we know far too little about how to manage it sustainably

Aims:

This project seek to design, develop and test an integrated measuring tool that can be installed and recovered from the bed of streams and rivers. It is envisaged that the tool will be 1.5 m long and 80 mm diameter with removable sensing and logging elements. The tool will comprise temperature and water level loggers and newly developed probes to monitor fluid electrical conductivity, the concentration of chloride in the water and oxygen levels. It is envisaged that multiple tools will be deployed at selected sites and recovered after 2 to 3 months for download and analysis. Data from the new sondes will provide real field data and allow a much improved conceptual model of hyporheic zone beneath and adjacent to surface water bodies that are connected to aquifers. This, in turn, will better inform management and allocation decisions.

The initial approach has been successfully tested as part of the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC program of works in Maules Creek. We are now confident that these methods can be substantially further developed and this project would undertake that work.

Ecological, economic and social considerations of spray control for Hymenachne

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:21:26 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

UCQ4

Host Organisation:

Central Queensland University

Researchers:

B.Miles

J.Rolfe

L.Duivenvoorden

W.Houston

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Weeds

Keywords:

Weeds

Project Information

Summary:

Hymenachne, a Weed of National Significance (WONs), is an aquatic plant invading northern Australia’s wetlands and waterways. The proliferation of this weed is associated with serious ecological losses and there are substantial costs associated with its control. Hymenachne also deserves special attention given the nexus regarding its beneficial use as a ponded pasture species for livestock production and drought management, and the disadvantages associated with its spread and ecological impact. A key challenge in the management of this weed is to understand the best ways to approach Hymenachne control, whilst satisfying environmental, social and economic concerns.

This study used a triple bottom line approach to improving the understanding of the issues facing Hymenachne control. This involved the integration of the social, economic and ecological studies and ecological surveys conducted in conjunction with a sample spray regime.

Outcomes:

Key findings were the need for a coordinated and inclusive approach to Hymenachne control across all stakeholders and landholders, with suitable incentives being made available and responsibility taken for control by each of the Government, Councils and the community. With respect to chemical control spraying, there was little evidence that this causes long-term, significantly negative effects on freshwater systems with respect to water quality, pesticides residuals, and biota (macroinvertebrates, fish and semi-aquatic invertebrates). This contrasts with the known adverse ecological effects of dense Hymenachne cover demonstrated in earlier studies, thus suggesting that control sprays should be employed to reduce existing infestations and prevent new outbreaks.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Project Background:

Hymenachne, a Weed of National Significance, is an aquatic pest plant that is invading northern Australian wetlands and waterways. Its proliferation is associated with serious ecological issues and there are substantial costs associated with its control. However, Hymenachne is also valued by some livestock producers as a ponded pasture important in drought management.

A significant challenge for the control of Hymenachne is to balance the economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of its use and management.

Aims:

Project objectives:

1. A detailed review of literature will report on issues including, but not limited to, the current spread of Hymenachne, existing methods for control, available data on ecological consequences of spray regimes and the socio-economic impacts of the weed and different control measures.

2. The ecological component of the study will address the following research questions:

(a) What are the adverse ecological impacts associated with chemical spray regimes (e.g., decline in water quality, changes to aquatic habitats, loss in vertebrate & invertebrate biodiversity)?

(b) What is the extent of system recovery in the short term, following spray and/or successful hymenachne control (possibly including recolonisation by native vegetation)?

3. The key research questions for the economics component relate to the knowledge, barriers and incentives that will generate participation in control strategies:

Quantifying the economic costs of control and the level of incentives needed to generate effective participation
on-farm economic losses due to lost production where Hymenachne is removed from ponded pastures
costs of control measures
types and levels of incentives needed to encourage on-farm control activities,
the structure of incentive mechanisms needed to generate sufficient participation by landholders at a landscape scale.

4. The investigation of broader social issues regarding Hymenachne will include questions such as:

What is the current level of awareness & perceptions of the Hymenachne problem in central Queensland by landholders?
What is the extent of willingness to participate in control programs?
What barriers, catalysts and enablers influence landholder adoption of, and/or cooperation with, Hymenachne control regimes?
An analysis of conflicts of interest existing in regards to Hymenachne as (a) a ponded pasture grass used for livestock production and (b) an ecologically destructive weed of national significance
Investigations of strategies that could be put in place to foster greater awareness of the weed problem, cooperation across stakeholder groups and a wider adoption of control

Evaluating the environmental benefits from managing WoNS in natural ecosystems

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:15:05 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

cen24

Host Organisation:

CSIRO Entomology

Researchers:

Dr. Louise Morin

Dr Adele Reid

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Weeds

Keywords:

Bitou Bush

Bridal Creeper

Project Information

Summary:

Weeds pose a significant threat to natural ecosystems in Australia and consequently large quantities of resources are spent each year to control them. This project undertook a desktop analysis to determine the current state of knowledge on how native communities and ecosystem processes recover following weed control.

Outcomes:

Given the combined findings of the three components of this project, it is clear that management programs for WoNS and other weed species in natural ecosystems should put greater emphasis on monitoring the response of native species to the reduction or removal of the target weeds. Some monitoring is essential to identify if the control methods used damage native plants and to provide information to decide whether additional interventions are required to assist native plant communities recover. Microbial and animal communities, and ecosystem processes should also be monitored to get a more complete assessment of how natural ecosystems respond to weed control, but it is acknowledged that it is unrealistic to expect on-ground land managers to implement this type of detailed monitoring. Such monitoring is better left for trained researchers to undertake at representative sites to address current knowledge gaps.

Collectively, the findings suggest that a whole-system approach, integrating weed management programs with other actions to assist the recovery of native communities may be essential to restore the structure and function of many affected ecosystems and protect against future weed invasion. Long-term monitoring would be crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of this integrated approach in restoring an ecosystem.

Current Activities

Status:

Pending

Background

Project Background:

Controlling an individual weed species is a major achievement, especially where that weed is a Weeds of National Significance, identified for its major impacts on productivity and the environment. However weeds are just one part of the landscape, and if native plant communities and ecosystem functions such as water flows and nutrient cycling do not recover once the weed is removed, then it is difficult to claim real success in managing the weed.

This desktop study examined the extent to which native plant communities and ecosystem functions have recovered after major weeds have been controlled and to provide advice on improving long-term success of future weed management.

Aims:

The aim of this project was to undertake a desktop analysis to determine the current state of knowledge on how native communities and ecosystem processes recover following weed control in natural ecosystems. This was achieved by three investigations:

reviewing the relevant scientific literature,
surveying stakeholders and
analysing data from field experiments on the WoNS bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides) and bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata).

Quantification of the environmental and control costs of weeds

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:06:13 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

NTU25

Host Organisation:

Charles Darwin University

Researchers:

Samantha Setterfield

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Monitoring and Assessment

Weeds

Keywords:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs of different control

Project Information

Summary:

The purpose of this project was to quantify

the environmental impacts and
the relative benefits and costs of control of two tropical invasive grasses.

The project reviewed the existing studies on the environmental impact of tropical invasive grasses in order to identify the main impacts that should be the focus of economic analysis of control methods.

The project contributed to this knowledge by completing research that demonstrated the impact of invasive grasses on the structure and function of tropical ecosystems, and the impact of management practices on ecosystem health and capacity for restoration. The project completed case studies demonstrating the effect and cost of exotic grass invasion on fire management practices, and the methods and costs of control approaches.

The project developed an approach to assessing the benefits of control of ‘conflict of interest’ weeds and the relative cost-effectiveness of alternative control measures. These approaches have already been used by the NT Government to guide decision making about tropical invasive grasses within their weed risk management framework.

The project will build on the existing strong national linkages established during the development of the NT WRM process, which was developed in consultation with WRM experts from South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, NSW and WA.

Outcomes:

The project was completed as a collaboration between Charles Darwin University and the Northern Territory Government. Development of the research questions and approach and collection of data were done in collaboration with the main end user – the NT Government. This provided a clear pathway for adoption, and ensured that the project was directly relevant to the management needs.

The outputs have already been incorporated into decision-making processes as demonstrated by the inclusion of the BCA of gamba grass, particularly the fire management costing, in the NT and Queensland Government’s nomination for declaration. The NT Bushfires Council has used the economic costs of gamba grass management to secure a substantial increase in operation budget. The NT Government has committed to further work on the framework for assessing alternative control measures to apply to other case study species.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Project Background:

Weed management agencies support the principle that prioritisation of, and investment in, weed management must be informed by a risk management approach (Australian Weeds Strategy 2007), and in Australia this prioritisation process should be guided by Australia’s "Post-border Weed Risk Management (WRM) Protocol" (Virtue et al. 2007).

However, while there is nationwide agreement that the elements within the WRM Protocol represent best practice, the availability of some of the decision support tools that underpin such a system have been identified as knowledge gaps or needing refinement following additional R&D. In particular there have been calls for WRA to expand to include tools that assess the range of environmental and economic costs, and to assess the costs, risks and likely success of weed control measures (Wainger and King 2001).

Aims:

The purpose of this project is to fill two key knowledge gaps in Australia’s Post-border WRM system. The project aimed to quantify:

The environmental impacts
The relative benefits and costs of control measures of two invasive grasses within a case study context.

The research proposal also did the following:

A review of existing material and a synthesis related to the environmental impact of weeds, in order to identify the main impacts that should form the focus of the economic analysis;
The development / adaptation of a framework for assessing the relative cost-effectiveness of alternative control measures;
The development / adaptation of a framework for assessing the benefits of control of ‘conflict of interest’ weeds.

Pinus radiata in bushland: Assessing the issue in the Green Triangle

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:54:12 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

DEH8

Host Organisation:

Department of Environment and Heritage SA

Researchers:

Mark Bachmann

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Weeds

Keywords:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs of different control

Project Information

Summary:

Pinus radiata is recognised, both in Australia and elsewhere, as a potential weed impacting on natural areas and habitat values. This project will quantify the extent and distribution of pine wildlings as they invade remnant native vegetation areas. It will provide outcomes that inform the plantation industry and NRM planners on improved management of Pinus radiata. Although focused on the Green Triangle in SE South Australia and SW Victoria, the project will also include other pine growing areas.

Outcomes:

Key messages that have emerged from this study are:

Application of remote sensing to identify pine wildlings in native vegetation is a difficult process. It will take further development before it realises its full potential for planning, management or research
Incorporating communication and networking with the key interested parties from the inception of a project has been particularly useful in defining the direction of the study and obtaining information that field operators have about actual pine wildling presence
Further development of remote sensing to detect pine wildlings is eminently worth doing and will prove even more so when the next generation of high resolution, multi-spectral imagery becomes available.

Current Activities

Status:

Pending

Background

Project Background:

Pinus radiata has recognised weed potential both in Australia and overseas. Research to date has demonstrated its invasive potential and its ability to alter structure and species composition of native vegetation. This leads to an impoverished plant community and reduced habitat value for native fauna, particularly important where native vegetation is already greatly reduced in extent. The threat becomes so much greater where these remnants lie next to pine plantations that are much larger in extent than the native vegetation.

While much is known about establishment and growth of pines in plantations, the ecology of pine wildlings invading native vegetation in Australia is less well documented.

As is generally the case with environmental weeds, it is most cost effective to control pine wildlings at the early stage of invasion. This requires that they be identified while their numbers and size are fairly small; not a quick or easy task in forest and woodland vegetation.

Aims:

This project aims to:

Develop use of GIS to identify pine wildlings in remnant vegetation, preferably using satellite imagery;
Quantify the extent of invasion of remnant native vegetation by P. radiata seedlings (wildlings) in the Green Triangle region, the lower SE of SA and SW of Victoria
Develop projections of the potential impact of P. radiata by relating vegetation community characteristics, distance from plantations and age of plantations;
Identify current and potential management options for control of pine wildlings and estimate costs of these options.

Quantifying costs and benefits of buffel grass

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:47:02 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

CSE52

Host Organisation:

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems

Researchers:

Margaret Friedel

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Weeds

Keywords:

Quantifying the impacts of weeds on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs of different control

Project Information

Summary:

Through an initial literature review, focus groups and interviews, this project aims to quantify the impacts of Buffel grass on sustainability and the environment, and to assess from both environmental and pastoral perspectives, the relative benefits and costs of different approaches to management. The results will provide improved management recommendations that are credible to land owners and managers as well as to environmental policy makers.

More information about Buffel Grass is available in the latest edition of Thinking Bush (pages 16-17).

Outcomes:

10 recommendations for improved buffel grass management were established:

Objectives, strategies and tools for management of buffel grass must be considered within a local to regional context
Manage change through involving landholders in an open dialogue about the costs and benefits of buffel grass and in the setting of common goals
Understand and use landholders’ formal and informal networks to enhance information exchange
Recognise and accept the transaction costs of community engagement so that the social benefits of buffel grass can be maximised and the environmental costs minimised
In situations where buffel grass is yet to colonise large areas, particularly in southern Australia, initiate early community discussion about the benefits and costs of buffel grass and its management
Improve understanding of management options and benefits/costs through documenting existing experience and developing new research; keep regional differences in focus
Develop processes for identifying and prioritising areas of high biodiversity value where management of buffel grass is required
Develop incentives for landholders to deliver environmental outcomes at landscape scale through management of buffel grass
Develop policy recommendations for governments through establishment of representative advisory groups at state and cross jurisdictional levels
Develop a national strategy for the sustainable management of buffel grass for production and conservation, relevant to regional scales.

Current Activities

Status:

Pending

Background

Project Background:

Buffel grass is a major environmental weed with the potential to establish in over 60% of mainland Australia. It is also highly prized by many pastoralists as an exotic pasture grass for livestock. Within these two conflicting views there is a spectrum of opinions on the relative benefits and cost of managing impacts of buffel grass in a sustainable way. The objective of the project was to quantify the impacts of buffel grass on sustainability and the environment and the relative benefits and costs of different approaches to management.

Aims:

The objective is to work with agencies, regional groups and individuals to:

Document the environmental, social and economic benefits and costs of buffel grass invasion to both conservation and pastoral sectors
Identify and describe current and potential management objectives, strategies and operational methods and their relative benefits and costs
Determine the perceptions of key stakeholders to different objectives, strategies and operational methods for dealing with buffel grass
Identify the potential for change in perceptions, attitudes and values and determine pathways for disseminating information about buffel grass and its management or control
Develop specific recommendations, based on our findings, on how to improve the management of buffel grass, and disseminate them as effectively as possible
Provide a general approach to improve management of contentious weed issues that considers both costs and benefits and the sociological barriers to change

Cost-effective surveillance of emerging aquatic weeds using robotic aircraft

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:23:08 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Developing efficient methods for surveying and eradicating agreed emergent weeds, and options

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

USY13

Host Organisation:

University of Sydney

Researchers:

Assoc. Prof. Salah Sukkarieh

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Innovation

Weeds

Keywords:

Salvina

Robotics

Infrared

Project Information

Summary:

In the 2007/2008 Defeating the Weed Menace R&D program, a novel approach to the detection and eradication of emerging aquatic weeds was presented. The Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) at the University of Sydney proposed the development of an autonomous weed controller: one that wouldn’t tire, would travel large distances, and wouldn’t mind traversing through difficult to access areas in the hope of detecting and eradicating nasty weeds – and so it was, the Weedinator was born.

The ACFR are world renowned for their exploitations in autonomous systems – basically robots that can do all the “dull, dirty and dangerous” tasks that are out there. The group has worked on novel systems, delivered a number of world firsts, and commercialised many of their products in the areas of logistics, mining, defence, agriculture and art.

Outcomes:

The platform is a modified G18 model helicopter from UVA Vision www.uavision.com . Using a helicopter meant full manoeuvrability could be attained, including hover, thus giving the ability to traverse large distances, move into tight situations, and hold position to take imagery or to spray. This involved development and tuning of flight control and navigation algorithms, as well the spray mechanisms. The final system could fly for approximately two hours and carry approximately 500ml of herbicide (although water was used in this project for demonstration).

The detection algorithms were based on novel machine learning techniques that are currently very popular in the scientific community. The basic principle is that instead of developing algorithms that specifically try to model what a weed is (this approach has always failed in the past), why not develop an algorithm that learns the model itself. Such approaches mimic the way the human brain learns. With such an algorithm you give it many images of the weed of interest, and many images that are not the weed of interest. You tell the algorithm which is what, and then leave it alone while it learns the key differences, focussing on qualities such as colour, shape and texture.

The algorithms proved to be very robust and accurate and were tested on Alligator weed and sprayed Salvinia.

Current Activities

Status:

Complete

Background

Project Background:

Waterways often include places that are difficult to access. When aquatic weeds establish in these areas they present problems both for detection of the weeds and for treatment to manage their spread or eradicate them.

Using small unmanned aircraft equipped with low-cost sensing cameras and combining these with new technologies to analyse spectral data obtained, different plant species can be ‘finger-printed’ in ways that allow weeds to be detected in places that were previously relatively inaccessible.

Aims:

Projective objectives were three fold:

To provide weed control authorities a cost-effective surveillance tool for the detection of emerging aquatic weeds. The system is an autonomous Hovering Unmanned Air Vehicle (HUAV) – a robotic helicopter – fitted with low-cost sensor suites and intelligent aquatic weed detection algorithms. Such a system can provide coverage over large distances and inaccessible aquatic habitats.
To develop a spray mechanism for the HUAV that provides the weed control operators the capability of autonomous or remote control spraying and treatment of these aquatic weeds in inaccessible aquatic habitats.
To gather geo-referenced spectral and visual data of aquatic weeds in inaccessible aquatic habitats. This data can be used to conduct further research in spatiotemporal weed growth.

Location

State & NRM Region:

National

Resources

External Links:

Australian Centre for Field Robotics

Exploring agents of change to peri-urban weed management

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:49:51 +0000

IDs and People

Program:

Defeating the Weed Menace R&D Program

Program Theme:

Developing efficient methods for surveying and eradicating agreed emergent weeds, and options

Research Type:

Research Project

Legacy (KMS) Project ID:

UMCC1

Host Organisation:

Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Coordinating Committee

Researchers:

Jo Harding

Subjects

Subjects:

Data and Information

Weeds

Keywords:

Developing efficient methods for surveying and eradicating agreed emergent weeds

and options

Project Information

Summary:

This project aims to undertake a social research study in the Upper Murrumbidgee catchment, targeting rural lifestyle landowners, to determine the driver to land use change in relation to invasive weeds. The results from this research will provide important input to weed management strategies and aid in the development of efficient methods for surveying and eradicating emergent weeds.

The research will primarily follow methods used by Aslin & Mazur in their 2005 study “Bio-security awareness and peri-urban landholders: a case study approach”. These methods were found to be the most appropriate for collecting qualitative and quantitative data when undertaking a social survey of rural lifestyle landowners.

Outcomes:

The research team are currently reviewing the findings from this study to develop a series of recommendations including engagement of Rural Lifestyle Landholders (RLLs) in weed management and NRM in general. These findings will be incorporated into the final printed report. The findings will be used to develop and pilot a public weed identification workshop specifically designed for RLLs in the case study areas. Results from this event will be included as an appendix to the final printed report.

Current Activities

Status:

Active

Background

Project Background:

Rural Lifestyle Landowners are a key stakeholder in future landscape management, and can be viewed as potential threats or possible allies in natural resource management (Hollier at. al. 2004). Lack of knowledge, different values and time limitations combine to make rural lifestyle landowners a potential source of increased emergent weeds, weed spread and general poor land management (Aslin & Mazur 2005). However, rural lifestyle landowners are also typically well educated, have high incomes and value natural landscapes (Buxton et. al. 2006).

Aslin & Mazur (2005) have noted that rural lifestyle landowners have been identified as a potential bio-security risk group, and that concerns have been expressed about how information and awareness campaigns are reaching this part of the rural population. One of the most common bio-security risks associated with this segment of the rural community is the risk of introducing and spreading weeds. It is important that weed management strategies, and efficient methods for surveying and eradicating emergent weeds consider lifestyle / peri-urban lands and the different values, culture and knowledge levels of rural lifestyle landowners.

There have been a number of social studies undertaken on peri-urban areas (Aslin & Mazur, 2005; Hollier et. al. 2004; Buxton et. al. 2006; Mackenzie et. al. 2006; Curtis et. al. 2000). These studies have, however, focused on developing a broader understanding of natural resource management issues. There is little social data on rural lifestyle landowners in relation to weeds and land use of rural lifestyle landowners in areas of the Upper Murrumbidgee catchment.

Aims:

This project aims to undertake a social research study in the Upper Murrumbidgee catchment, targeting Rrural Lifestyle Landowners, to determine the drivers to land use change in relation to invasive weeds. The results from this research will provide important input to weed management strategies and aid in the development of efficient methods for surveying and eradicating emergent weeds.

Location

State & NRM Region:

New South Wales

Australian Capital Territory