wishing all clients a great chrissy and new years and hoping one finish's up harvest so you get a well earned break. One year we will get a season when the rain comes when it is required, but at least there will be sub soil moisture for the 2012 crop
all the best
bill
28 December 2011
07 October 2011
Travelling the state
Time to give us a ring and start planning for 2012. I am currently travelling the state visiting all clients both new and old assessing the progress of last years trees and also looking at new projects for the coming season.
Trees will be seeded in the next few months so in order to get quality trees grown for your projects early forward planning is essential
Bill Davey
bdavey@palservices.com.au
www. palservices.com.au.
Trees will be seeded in the next few months so in order to get quality trees grown for your projects early forward planning is essential
Bill Davey
bdavey@palservices.com.au
www. palservices.com.au.
Forward Planning landcare projects
2012 season is just around the corner. Plantation and Landcare are already in the process of designing and visiting clients to organise 2012 landcare projects.
This involves site inspections to ensure all projects dovetail into the current paddock regime and overall day to day management of the property.
Trees on broadacre farms need to integrate into day to day management, "the right tree in the wrong place is a weed".
Salinity is still one of biggest challengers, but trying to make salinity is even bigger challenge. Integrating fodder into the mix helps provide a enormous feed resource for those lean years or as a supplement feed for stock.
Grants are available to help farmers in certain areas across WA and farmers and landholders need to contact me to tap into this funding
Bill Davey
0429961770
Waterwise rural landscaping, Western Australia
First impressions count, this is especially so in relation to entrance statements within new developments.
Sustainable, low maintenance and impact are the key to the design of entrance statements. Our resent project was at Two Rocks , Western Aust. along Breakwater Drive.
Our brief was to establish a waterwise and low maintenance entrance statement. Sp
ecie selection was the key.
ecie selection was the key.Block/mass plantings of three (3) species will give long term impact. I chose Eremophilia glabra close to the road verge/pavement. A low ground cover that will not affect the tarffic visison in the long term. Mid slope I went with a band of Angozanthos "Flavidus red" to give colour impact. Then along the top we went for Calothamus quadrifidus to provide screening.
Due to council regulations they imposed on 24 month maintenance period on the developer. After this period the project would be handed over to the council. Although we used all waterwise plants a reticulation system was installed. Reece Irrigation help with the design. A drip system was installed. Each plant has a micro drip placed alongside to give approximately 2-4 litres per minute.
As part of our services regular maintenance checks will be made across the summer period. Too date the project is looking amazing, some of the Eremopholia are in flower already.
08 May 2011
Making landcare profitable....
Practical landcare solutions that work
Landcare investment can return substantial dividends to all landholders, both in the short and long term, according to Bill Davey, Forester with Plantation and Landcare Services (PALS).
Mr Davey said that trying to balance livestock numbers with erratic rainfall, long dry periods, feed quantity and quality had emphasised the need to integrate fodder within the landscape
Landcare investment can return substantial dividends to all landholders, both in the short and long term, according to Bill Davey, Forester with Plantation and Landcare Services (PALS).
Mr Davey said that trying to balance livestock numbers with erratic rainfall, long dry periods, feed quantity and quality had emphasised the need to integrate fodder within the landscape
Farmers with blocks of fodder in the past 12-months were able to maintain stocking rates while those without the fodder had to reduce their livestock. Some have even increased their stocking rates as they have confidence they can carry greater numbers of stock because of the additional feed.
“Much of the fodder is established on land that is usually unproductive,” Bill Davey said.
“Once planted there is no-going costs and the grazing regime can fit into the overall paddock or farm management, “ he said.
“My biggest objective when planning landcare sites is to ensure that the plan produces positive results while being integrated into specific paddock rotations and management.”
He said that he visited farms so he could see the site and speak to the farmer on a one- to-one basis. Since each farm was run differently each project had to be fine-tuned to fit in with the farm management.
Landholders need solutions that have worked and can be integrated easily into their paddock management and operations. If this can be achieved, landcare can be profitable, less costly and provide momentum to tackle big projects across regions.
Bill Davey has more than 25 years experience working in the landcare industry.
“These solutions are not out of a book but have been improved over the years. It gives me great satisfaction to look back on properties where PALS has halted salinity or land with fodder crops for sheep used as part of the landcare solution,” Bill Davey said.
He said that landcare, like cropping and most farm operations, had an optimum time to maximise the results or yields.
“Early planning, quality tree stock, specie selection and site preparation followed by implementing the program on time will ensure excellent results,” Bill Davey said.
“Currently I am visiting all 2010 clients to assess their projects and draw up new programs for the 2011 season.
“Anyone with big or small landcare farm issues should contact me to see what positive action can be taken to rectify challenging areas,” Bill Davey said.
“Much of the fodder is established on land that is usually unproductive,” Bill Davey said.
“Once planted there is no-going costs and the grazing regime can fit into the overall paddock or farm management, “ he said.
“My biggest objective when planning landcare sites is to ensure that the plan produces positive results while being integrated into specific paddock rotations and management.”
He said that he visited farms so he could see the site and speak to the farmer on a one- to-one basis. Since each farm was run differently each project had to be fine-tuned to fit in with the farm management.
Landholders need solutions that have worked and can be integrated easily into their paddock management and operations. If this can be achieved, landcare can be profitable, less costly and provide momentum to tackle big projects across regions.
Bill Davey has more than 25 years experience working in the landcare industry.
“These solutions are not out of a book but have been improved over the years. It gives me great satisfaction to look back on properties where PALS has halted salinity or land with fodder crops for sheep used as part of the landcare solution,” Bill Davey said.
He said that landcare, like cropping and most farm operations, had an optimum time to maximise the results or yields.
“Early planning, quality tree stock, specie selection and site preparation followed by implementing the program on time will ensure excellent results,” Bill Davey said.
“Currently I am visiting all 2010 clients to assess their projects and draw up new programs for the 2011 season.
“Anyone with big or small landcare farm issues should contact me to see what positive action can be taken to rectify challenging areas,” Bill Davey said.
More information:
Bill Davey
Plantation and Landcare Services
PO BOX 591
Mount Lawley WA 6929
07 May 2011
Disused Quarry becomes a classy housing estate
Bedfordale, Western Australia
A disused gravel quarry looking over the southern corridor of Perth has become a classy housing estate in a matter of a few years.
Lateral thinking by the developers (Nick Pagano), project and town planners Dykstra Planning and Plantation and Landcare has transformed this disused quarry into housing estate.
Figure1: 18 months after planting and one of the direst summers and winters on record in WA
As part of the condition there had to be a landscape and revegetation plan submitted to the City of Armadale. The lot size were fairly small and therefore we need to strategically locate the revegetation so:
1. There wasn't too much encroachment on the actually lots.
2. Introduced native vegetation that linked some of the remanent vegetation.
3. Provide screening, shade and shelter.
Boundary screening both along the road frontage and through the centre of the development where the lots adjoined. In long term this will create a vegetation corridor through the estate.
Figure 2: The quarry just after the completion of the ripping and re contouring
The whole quarry needed to be re contoured as well as deep ripped with a D10. Deep ripping will ensure the vegetation can penetrate the sub soils and become stronger and ultimately better established native trees and shrubs.
Site preparation is the key to successful revegetation.
The vegetation zones was also extensively ripped to help with the initial establishment phase, mulch was applied across the whole site to assit with the establishment phase. Ripping ensure the trees and shrubs establish without the need for on going watering throughout the summer months.
The planting zones were sprayed before the hand planting of some 13,000 native trees and shrubs in the winter of 2009. Fertiliser was applied at the time of planting.
Good site preparation, weed control and specie selection ensured that we gained a very good strike rate across the site. Considering the drought WA has experienced since the trees were planted all parties are pleased with the progress to date.
As well as revegetation throughout the lots and boundaries street trees (C calophylla) were planted along the road verges to provide long term aesthetics.
Selling real estate agents have commented that the prospective buyers were all keen to look after the vegetation on their new lots to help with the aesthetics of the whole estate. Nearly all the 40 lots have been sold, construction of high standrad homes is underway.
With lateral thinking and a practical approach even the most challenging sites can be converted to a high class asset.
More information:
Plantation and Landcare Services
PO BOX 591
MT LAWLEY WA 6929
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