Corangamite/Glenelg-Hopkins Region, Victoria

Project contact: Cam Nicholson, phone 0417 311 098, email nicon@pipeline.com.au

The strategic use of native grasses in late summer and winter periods to spell introduced pastures can allow them to gain sufficient leaf area to maximise growth (stage 2 growth).

Previous research has shown that spring spelling and winter/summer grazing of native grasses improves diversity of species. Native grasses also provide a pool of beneficial predators, likely to be important to repopulate crop and pasture lands deficient of desirable invertebrates.

It has also been shown that native grassland cannot be re-established unless soil fertility and the weed seed bank are dramatically reduced.

This project continues research into various grazing strategies on native grasses and the results are being applied and documented by farmers in the region. It will capture the critical information needed by mixed farmers to more effectively use native grasses as part of their pasture management protocols.