Junior Landcare is about encouraging young people to play an active role in ensuring the safe future of their environment.

Launched in May 1998, Junior Landcare recognises that the contribution of young people is vital if the land they are to inherit is to be in the best possible condition. Junior Landcare also encourages young people to develop a sense of responsibility to the land and other natural resources.

Landcare activities can be successfully integrated into a range of topics within the school curriculum or be part of scout or similar youth group activities.

Landcare programs organised by schools and youth groups provide a great framework for learning in outdoor ‘living classrooms’. Junior Landcare enables kids of all ages to become involved with their local landcare group and work on a range of environmental projects.

Landcare Australia has teamed up with Turf Australia to help refresh, rebuild, or revive 15 school grounds across Australia with natural grass through a new program -Turf Australia Junior Landcare Perfect Patch of Green. The new Junior Landcare program highlights Turf Australia’s commitment to making a positive difference to the environment for schools and youth groups.

Turf Australia is giving schools and youth groups the opportunity to win a free green makeover. Schools and youth groups across Australia have the chance to have their sports field or recreational area revitalized with new turf.

Schools, students and teachers are invited to enter by telling us how natural turf will enhance your environment and how your school ground, recreational area and/or sports field will benefit from a real green makeover. We want to know how real turf will make a positive difference to your school and student community.

1. Download and complete the “Perfect Patch of Green” Entry Form [Click here to download]
2. Tell us about your school or group and how real grass will be of benefit to your students
3. Include 3 photos of the area that you would like to see improved with natural grass
4. Email your entry form by the 31^st July 2012 to grants@landcareaustralia.com.au

• Schools including preschools, kindergartens, primary and high schools across Australia.
• Youth groups including Scouts, Girl Guides and other community organisations that involve and support young people as a key component of their activities and services.

Schools or groups are invited to nominate an outdoor area that will be used by children or young people – that does not exceed 68m wide by 100m long and includes:

• Recreational or play area for children or students
• School grounds
• Sports fields (no bigger than 68m wide by 100m long) * or 6800 m² for round/odd shaped grounds.

• Turf Calculator – find out how to measure the area that you would like turf laid
• Turf Varieties – find out what variety of turf your school or group requires
• Turf Maintenance – find out more about caring for turf and maintaining lawns
• Turf Watering – find out how to make the most of your available water
• Download the Perfect Patch of Green program focus & criteria document

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: The Perfect Patch of Green program will close on Tuesday 31^st July, 2012 (5.00pm EST).

If you would like more information about Turf Australia and turf care tips please visit www.turfaustralia.com.au

OR Turf Queensland at: www.qtpa.com.au

For more information about the Perfect Patch of Green Program call (02) 9412 1040 or email grants@landcareaustralia.com.au or visit the website below.

For more information you can also log onto the Junior Landcare website on:

http://www.juniorlandcare.com.au/grants-2/turf-australia-junior-landcare-perfect-patch-of-green

By attending these valuable workshop attendees will obtain great benefit and gain knowledge through up-to-date information and allow questions for clarification on specific topics.  It will allow networking and communications between your peers in your region on like minded turf production issues.  A presentation by Pat Daley (DWS Irrigation) on ‘Energy Efficiency versus Tariff Savings’ will be of particular interest as will the introduction to Turf Queensland’s “Turf Cost Calculator” providing individual farm costs for production, delivery and installation, presented by Bill Johnston (Economist, DEEDI). Bill has been working with Turf Queensland over the past few months in developing this cost calculator which will benefit all turf producers.  Turf Queensland will provide an update on its various projects and of course the all-important Turf Accreditation Program (TAP).

What is “TAP”

• TAP is a third-party audited program with credibility
• TAP is a business improvement program to benefit the producer
• TAP provides instant recognition of a quality supplier
• TAP provides a recognised standard of product to the end user
• TAP accredited producers provide the all important “RISK PROTECTION” to the consumer
• TAP accredited producers have an instant marketable competitive advantage

How to specify a Turf Accredited Producer?

• ask for a copy or to see a copy of their current Turf Accredited Certificate (TAP)
• Chekc the Turf Queensland website for a list of Accredited Turf Producers
• Contact Turf Queensland on (07) 3488 0917

Accredited Producers:

• Australian Lawn Concepts
• Cabarlah Park Turf
• Glenview Turf
• Golden Finch Lawns
• Lockyer Lawn Supplies
• Turf Central
• Turfgrass (Mackay)
• Turfgrass (Rockhampton)
• A & S Turf

Click on the links below to download the forms:

TAP guidelines_2011TAP application form_2011

Terms and Conditions TQ Accreditation April 2011Accreditation Quality Standards Fact Sheet 2nd draft

Thanks to Steve Struss for doing such a fantastic job promoting the turf industry and what DEEDI does with them.

Starting a turf business

http://www.business.qld.gov.au/agriculture/plant-management/starting-turf-production-business/starting-turf-business-case-study-video.html

Support services for the turf industry

http://www.business.qld.gov.au/agriculture/plant-management/starting-turf-production-business/support-services-turf-industry-case-study-video.html

Cost-benefit analysis will be used as the conceptual framework for the economic evaluation. The process will guided by a project steering group to ensure industry interests are served and expectations met. This will also ensure the relevance of the final product.  The main objective of the project is to develop a management tool to guide the on-farm decision making process into farm planning and budgeting while also improving the profitability and efficiency of turf grass production in Queensland.

This will produce a number of benefits including:

• Growers will be able to reduce risk by estimating more accurately the cost/benefit of production management decisions and investments
• Environmental and natural resources costs will be incorporated into farm budgeting and planning
• All growers (especially new industry entrants) will get a clear idea of the value of their product based on their actual costs

The commencement of the Eco Turf Efficiency program will gather cross industry information throughout the state.  The Eco-efficiency assessment will provide:

• baseline assessments for energy consumption, material consumption and waste production
• reduction strategies with a focus of lightening environmental impact
• financial analysis of proposed improvement

Lisa Erhart (Dynamic Eco-Solutions) has been employed to undertake this program under the management of  Turf Queensland.

This scheme will provide financial assistance to eligible turf producers to improve their irrigation equipment and soil monitoring which will result in efficiencies of water use on their farms.  The scheme is aimed at producers who are looking to improve efficiency through the upgrade and maintenance of their irrigation equipment or to improve irrigation management through the use of soil moisture monitoring or monitoring equipment.  This program concludes June 2012.

• Financial assistance of up to $1,000 or one-third (1/3) of the total cost is available to growers for system upgrades.

• Financial assistance of up to $1,500 or one-third (1/3) of the total cost is available to growers for soil moisture monitoring or monitoring equipment

This scheme is available toSsouth East Queensland turf producers only.  Anyone wishing to undertake this program please contact Turf Queensland on (07) 3488 0917 or email to info@qtpa.com.au.  Assessments will be undertaken by Pat Daley, DWS Irrigation.  For further information please click on the guidelines and application form below:

TQ-PIES Guidelines_w soil moisture monitoring

TQ-PIES Application (2)

• increased engagement and awareness of RWUE4 objectives
• uptake of water use efficiency levels
• uptake of energy saving levels
• on farm assistance and assessments
• workshops throughout the various regions

On farm assessments are undertaken by a qualified consultant, Pat Daley, DWS Irrigation Services.  Turf producers wishing to avail themselves of this program should either contact Turf Queensland on (07) 3488  0917 or Pat Daley on 0415 186 706.

Discussions about climate change can be hard to understand and focused on scenarios far into the future. Complex economic models often did not explain actions in terms of what can be done now, through existing business operations and strategies, to help business reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and prepare for a future climate conditions (adaptation).  Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL) and the Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries (CCRSPI) have produced information so that growers will have access to that information regarding:

• Predicted climate change impacts on horticulture.
• Research underway to assist growers to respond to climate change.
• Practical measures to mitigate and adapt to the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.
• Glossary of commonly used climate change terms.

Climate Change Impacts and Opportunities:

Horticulture is the third largest agricultural industry in Australia with a gross value of production (GVP) of $8.6 billion.  The sector employs one in four agricultural workers and delivers products and services that enhances the lifestyle and quality of life in homes and cities, and play a vital role in delivering national food security.  Australia’s increasingly variable climate poses challenges for horticulture, given the sector’s dependence on natural resources especially water for irrigation.  This makes horticulture inherently vulnerable to the impacts of both short term climate variability and long-term climate change.  In comparison to other agricultural sectors, horticulture has a small environmental impact relating to climate change.  This low level of emissions is due in part to the types of crops grown and the fact that minimal tillage is involved helps to build up and contained carbon in the soil.  While agriculture emissions amount to some 16% of all national industry emissions, “Horticulture” comprises just 1% of this total.

Despite these good credentials the industry is still vulnerable to predict changes to rainfall and temperature that will impact on, plant growth, pest and disease risk, product quality and industry location.  The extent these physical impacts affect horticulture products, and businesses will be further shaped by the:

• Growing global demand for food.
• The impacts of climate change policy.
• Increasing demands for productivity growth.
• Increasing competition natural resources.
• Requirements of ever more efficient and sustainable production practices.

Temperature and rain fall changes present the greatest biophysical impacts on the horticulture sector’s ability to remain profitable and competitive.

By 2030 under the medium climate change omission scenario is, the annual temperature across Australia is expected to have warmed up by about 1.0° C relative to 1990.  Inland areas are likely to experience strong the warming recycled of up to 1.8° C, the coastal areas warming a little less.  Climate modelling experts predict there will be significant variations from region to region, with night-time temperatures increasing faster than daytime temperatures.  This temperature increase is expected to grow further (more than double) by 2070.

Changes in rainfall are expected to vary widely across regions and seasons. By 2030 rainfall is projected to increase by 2-5% across Australia, except in northern Australia where little rain fall change is projected.  Importantly, run-off will also substantially declined, resulting in significant negative impact for water quality and quantity.  By 2070, annual rainfall is estimated to have decreased by about 7.5% across Australia, with the exceptions of the far north where there will be little change in South Western Australia with increases of up to 40% are expected.  Due to the projected changes in rainfall, soil moisture is likely to decline over much of southern Australia.

What does this mean to our horticulture businesses?

As the following snapshots indicate, the combined impact of the predicted changes to rainfall and temperature will affect horticulture commodities and regions in a number of ways.

1. Changes in enterprise structure and location - changes to growing conditions will impact on the suitability of regions and different crops.
2. Changes to crop selection/mix- changes to growing conditions will impact on the suitability and adaptability of current cultivars, including the need to match crop selection with optimum growing times.
3. Changes to irrigation- increased irrigation demand and changed the reliability of irrigation schemes and water availability will impact on growers irrigation scheduling.
4. Impacts on soil management- more intense 10 rainfall events (coupled with warmer temperatures) may result in the increased risk of spread and proliferation of soil borne diseases.
5. Impact on current integrated pest– there is the potential for changes in the distribution of existing pests, diseases and weeds, and an increased threat of incursions into new crops.
6. Increased incidence of physiological disorders and associated impacts of product quality and yields - tip burn, blossom end rot, hail damage and soil erosion could all increase with higher incidences and severity of extreme events.
7. Increased public and political pressure on the use of resources -increased competition, reduced reliability and rising costs will all increase pressures to improve on-farm efficient use of natural resources.
8. Increased economic impacts - there will be in impact of the Australian government’s carbon pollution reduction scheme at the sector is exposed to change compliance costs, input costs and flow on costs from the supply chain that supports it; example, through new requirement product labelling and other regular Tory requirements (both domestically and overseas).

A case study of the vegetable growing industry in the Central Riverina area in 2008 demonstrated both negative and positive impacts of climate change on production.

Negative impacts:

• Higher cost of irrigation under hotter conditions.
• Impact on quality two effects of sunburn and frost.

Positive benefits:

• Earlier maturing crop resulting in a 10 to 15 day jump on competitors into the market.

A summary of climate change impacts on horticulture:

1. Horticulture industry has been, and will continue to be, vulnerable to impacts of climate change and climate variability.
2. Impacts vary between horticulture and other agricultural industries as well as within horticultural communities and their growingThey can even be variability in impacts within a business.  There is a need of further work to be undertaken to better understand and communicate the impacts within the industry.
3. Aside from the physical impacts of climate change, the main challenges of the horticulture sector of the need to respond to both changes in consumer preferences and the impacts of climate change policy decisions (including the introduction of the CPRS).  Policy changes would include new compliance costs and increased input costs without growers necessarily being able to pass on the costs toImproved understanding of these impacts is required to inform research, development and extension (RD&E) responses.
4. The ongoing drought in many key horticultural regions has had an immediate significant impact and will reduce the long term resilience of the horticultureClimate change will continue to impact on water resources into the future.
5. There are still potential opportunities for horticulture in a changing climate, including the potential for an increase in productive capacity due to increased carbon dioxide levels.
6. However the extent and sustainability of these potential benefits are not well understood.