Integrating livestock and timber production

Summary

Demonstrate the integration of pasture under sustainably managed native forest as an opportunity for increasing beef and timber productivity due to decreased levels of competition between pasture and trees for light, water and nutrients. This project aims to evaluate the impact of tree density management of private native forest on native and improved pastures for greater beef productivity.

Objectives

By July 2023, 3 PDS sites in the Wide Bay-Burnett region will:

1. demonstrate that the integration of pastures and forest under sustainable forest management will increase:

(a) native pasture productivity by at least 30-50% in thinned forest compared to control plot (no-thinning);
(b) grass and legume pasture productivity by at least 100% in thinned forest compared to control plot (no-thinning);
(c) timber productivity (m3/ha/year) by 30% in thinned forest compared to control plot.

2. conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine the relative financial performance of establishing pasture in sustainably managed private native forest.

3. conduct field days / workshops with the aims of having 100% of core producer and 60% of observer producers with increased knowledge and skills in sustainably thinning their forest areas (e.g. appropriate methods)

4. 80% of the core group demonstrate an improvement in pasture productivity by managing the forest under sustainable practices.

5. 20% of observer producers will have adopted or be prepared to adopt new forest management practices

Key findings

Three PDS were successfully established and monitored during this project. These sites served as valuable sources for gathering data on the productivity of both pasture and timber. The information collected from these PDS was presented through field days, reports, and conferences.

Net present value was used to evaluate the financial outcome of four different treatments over 20 years. The best financial performance was achieved with sustainable harvesting/thinning and improved pasture averaging $2,318/ha at the tree properties. Under this scenario, average carrying capacity (CC) was 2.7 ha/AE. The unthinned treatments, either with native or improved pasture, had the lowest NPV with an average of $722/ha, and an average carrying capacity of 16 ha/AE.

Benefits to industry

Sustainable private native forest management has a positive effect on pasture and timber productivity. The research demonstrated that it is possible to combine sustainable thinning practices and pasture development in privately-owned native forests. In south-eastern Queensland there are approximately 1.6 million ha of commercially harvestable native forest on privately-owned land. The productivity of these forests varies due to environmental factors and the way they are managed using silvicultural practices.

A significant area of the private native forest is utilised for cattle grazing, and the pastures that grow beneath the forest canopy are considered crucial for the livestock by property owners. The integration of sustainable forest management practices, such as thinning, along with the implementation of improved or native pasture systems, will significantly enhance both timber and beef productivity.

MLA action

MLA continues to deliver the Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) program, supporting livestock producers working in peer-to-peer groups to pursue new skills, knowledge and management practices applicable to their own commercial livestock production systems.

Future research

Silvopastoral systems implemented within private native forests have the potential to improve both livestock and timber productivity in the South-East Queensland region. The productivity of pastures can be significantly enhanced especially in commercially harvestable spotted gum forests on private lands (either on freehold land or remnant forests), through the implementation of sustainable thinning operations and pasture improvement strategies.
An extension program/publications could be implemented to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the establishment of pasture species beneath native forests and the management of these forests for timber production.
All the core producers own extensive areas of private native forest on freehold land (Category X) and already have livestock integrated with trees on their properties. In contrast, their adjacent properties have undergone extensive vegetation clearing, resulting in open paddocks with only a few trees per ha.

The carbon sequestered by their forests cannot be acknowledged or recognised under any carbon projects operating under the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) or Land Restoration Funds (LRF).
Well-managed silvopastoral systems have the potential to enhance timber production, thereby increasing carbon sequestration at the same time as improving pasture productivity. This can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with improved beef production efficiency due to an enhancement of pasture productivity. However, at present, there is no suitable methodology available under the ERF specifically designed for silvopastoral systems within private native forests aiming to enhance both timber and beef productivity.