Farmer, ecologist and pioneer, Dr Geoff Kay will be opening his paddocks up to showcase the first implantation of the Open Woodland Restoration Project on May 25.
The restoration project is an innovative approach to combat the effects of the declining Box Gum Grassy Woodland (BGGW) ecosystems within the Southern Tablelands.
Spearheaded by Regen Farmers Mutual, the farm open day falls at the conclusion of their interactive co-design sessions for farmers within the region.
Waminda, Dr Kay’s farm, is located 30 minutes outside of Canberra in Jeir.
After taking over the custodianship of his family’s farm many years ago, it was through his work as an ecologist specialising in the restoration of biodiversity in woodlands that Dr Kay decided to experiment within his own paddocks.
By 2015, the first implementation of the woodland design was planted on Dr Kay’s 50-hectare farm.
A rudimentary design in comparison to the one Regen Farmers Mutual is hoping to implement across the Southern Tablelands, Dr Kay’s Open Woodland Restoration design has matured and will be available to view for farmers on May 25.
Usually running small herds of cattle, the farm features new and old woodland implementations that showcase the evolution and refinement of the plantation design.
The Open Woodland Design process now involves direct seeding in tram track-like formations spaced in two close rows of trees (two metres apart) followed by a large 15-20 metre gap, followed by another two close rows of trees and another large 20 metre gap, so on so forth. This design enables the development of “open and clumpy” spaces and is biomimicking natural, pre-European landscapes.
Dr Kay will be showcasing his farm’s natural Box Gum Grassy Woodlands (BGGW), which features red gum, white box, yellow box woodland. There is currently only three percent of BGGW remaining within Australia due to heavy clearing from 200 years of deforestation. Restoring the woodland, he says, is critical in increasing land productivity, restoring land biodiversity and has the added benefit of producing carbon credits.
Dr Kay says an opportunity has now arisen to convert the land back into woodland without creating a closed off forest-like block that is unusable for grazing and farming.
“A block planting doesn’t have to be an arboretum-style planting of trees every seven metres,” he says.
“What it can be is a really open and closed eco woodland system with the same opportunity for carbon sequestration but with greater ecological outcomes and with greater farming outcomes.
“I think there is a real opportunity to be scaled right across Box Gum Woodlands.”
From 8.30am, Dr Kay will be welcoming visitors to his farm with an introduction and welcome conducted at 9.00am.
From 9.15am to 11.00am, Dr Kay will conduct a walking tour of his farm, showcasing his first restoration project and his most recent one that utilised both direct seeding and tube stock.
At 11.00am, visitors will be welcomed back to the shed to enjoy a steak sandwich and hot drink with the opportunity to further engage with fellow farmers and Dr Kay himself.
“I think my vision here for Waminda is continuing the legacy my parents set which was one of sympathetic and compassionate land management,” says Dr Kay.
The last co-design session, titled ‘How Do We Tell Our Story’ will occur three days later from 12.00 to 2.00pm on Thursday, 28 March.
For more information, or to book, please visit: https://events.humanitix.com/how-do-we-tell-our-story-with-open-woodland-restoration
For more information about Waminda Farm and the work that Dr Kay has done, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7tcKGReHTw.
Tickets to visit Waminda are essential and can be purchased https://events.humanitix.com/open-woodland-restoration-farm-visit
Elizabeth Kovacs
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