In memory of Rob Underwood We are at the end of Bunuru (February-March) and Wilson Inlet is still connected to the ocean. However, the channel is slowly silting up as sand is transported in by waves and tides. The water between Prawn Rock Island and the Nullaki Peninsula is now very shallow but high tides are still bringing blue ocean water into Prawn Rock channel, making it a pleasant site to swim. While it is not too unusual for the sandbar to remain open until the end of Bunuru, this opening will be one of the longest. It is already the third longest opening on record – the longest was 334 days in 1988. Dr. Elke Reichwaldt from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation said that Bunuru is the season of the lowest river flows and this year has been no exception: river flow during Bunuru has been about one tenth that of Birak (December-January). While nutrient and algae concentrations in the inlet are low at the moment, this will change once the river flows increase towards the end of Djeran, because nutrients from the catchment will once again start to flow into the inlet. Click HERE to see the latest inlet monitoring data Biochar WICC is partnering with Murdoch University’s Dr Xiangpeng Gao, Prof Parisa A. Bahri, and Dr Gloria Rupf from Engineering and Energy at the College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education on the ‘Green waste towards net zero’ project. The ‘Future Carbon’ project is co-funded by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Denmark Shire. The project aims to safely convert Denmark’s green waste into biochar and explore using it on-farm to sequester carbon and improve farm productivity. The research team lead by Dr Gao at Murdoch University is leading the research, process design, and techno-economic analysis of the proposed project. Dr Gao said, “Our research team has experience in experiments and techno-economic analysis to assess if the proposed concept is achievable technically and economically, and meet safety and carbon sequestration standards while reducing costs of waste disposal." Instead of transporting or burning the green waste brought to Denmark’s Waste Transfer Station, WICC has sought solutions that benefit farmers and the community. The benefits include a local supply of quality biochar, reduced costs to the Denmark Shire for green waste processing, and reduced carbon emissions. Farmers profitably using biochar to improve their economic and ecological credentials is under research investigation globally. The wide-ranging uses of biochar include binding more fertiliser to paddocks and not in local waterways, improving dairy milk production when fed in milker rations, and even better pasture and tree growth. What often prevents biochar from being used on farms is a sustainable supply of quality low-cost biochar. Dr Gao explains, “In addition to farming there are many opportunities for reducing pollution by producing biochar from green waste in Denmark. A good example is the coproduction of biochar and heavy bio-oil pellets of excellent mechanical structure, and green chemicals extracted from light bio-oils from pyrolysis of the green waste. The biochar-based pellets can be used to produce green hydrogen via gasification because of their excellent fuel properties of high energy density and low inorganic content. We will investigate what is most suitable for the Denmark region and the Wilson Inlet.” “This project is an excellent example of collaboration between universities and communities to help translate the creative and novel research ideas into real life and practical applications” Professor Bahri said. Benefits of increasing Soil Organic Carbon The Wilson Inlet Growers Group (WIGG) recently caught up to explore soil carbon with carbon consultant Jennifer West. Jennifer is the founder and managing director of Carbon West, a Perth-based carbon farming consultancy. Farmers have a big role to play when it comes to capturing atmospheric carbon. They manage an extensive portion of Australia which has been largely cleared of trees (therefore carbon). This presents an enormous opportunity for them to help restore the balance. The Australian Government has also provided a financial incentive. The Clean Energy Regulator generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) through Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) projects. Each ACCU represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e). ACCUs can be issued for above ground projects (tree planting) and below ground projects. Currently one ACCU sells for around $30. Below ground projects are all about the soil organic carbon (SOC). SOC represents the carbon fraction of soil organic matter (SOM), which includes the living and decaying matter in soils derived from microorganisms, plants, and animals. A below ground project involves managing your land to encourage increases in SOC. Jennifer explained that with below ground ERF projects, a proponents' SOC baseline (or starting point) is calculated using lab analysis of soil core samples. The project area is then remeasured every few years (at least every 5 years) in the same way. Projects must run for at least 25 years as carbon must be stored for a long time, not just for a short while. The proponent can generate ACCUs (a tradable financial unit) by increasing their SOC during the project period. If SOC increases and generates ACCUs, proponents are responsible for maintaining the new levels until the project ends, or be liable to return some of the ACCUs issued. Jennifer said, “SOC in agricultural soils across the world has fallen over the past century. Land use change, tillage, overgrazing and synthetic biocide applications are believed to have caused this decline in many instances. Depending on their physical and chemical properties, and the amount of rainfall received in that area, soils have an ability to hold organic carbon within their structure. That ability to hold carbon ranges in the top 30cms from as low as 1% (let’s say Eneabba), to as high as 10% or more (probably nowhere in WA!). Some soils, with a low capacity to hold carbon, have fared very badly under intensive agricultural production and may have lost more than half of the carbon it once held…” Jennifer explained to WIGG that the benefits from increasing SOC are often more about the increase in farm productivity than generating ACCUs. By increasing your SOC you retain more nutrients, water, and biological activity. Farms become more resilient to drought and can increase their stocking rates due to better pasture production through increased SOC levels. Jennifer said that one of the best things farmers can do is diversify their pasture species. More species across more families of plants supports healthy, well-functioning microbial communities. Keeping your soil covered year-round also delivers benefits, protecting soil microbial populations from temperature extremes to enable their survival. This can be achieved through soil testing for adequate pasture nutrition, rotational grazing, and diverse-species pastures which contain both winter and summer-active plant varieties. If you would like to learn more you can contact Jennifer at Carbon West on 042168055 or visit www.carbonwest.com.au , or visit www.wicc.org.au . WIGG is funded in part by the Western Australian Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program. We had quite a dry February. This improved towards the latter half of March with above average rainfall which brought some welcome relief following one of our hottest summers ever. This trend of above average rainfall is anticipated to continue for the latter half of April. This outlook shifts to below average for May and June. Both of our primary climate drivers remain relatively neutral for the next couple of months. Our fauna monitoring cameras on the Nullaki routinely capture our local wildlife in action. Sightings have become more frequent which we attribute to our feral management efforts. Here are a few recent pics... Quenda Echidna Goanna Hawk Kangaroos Brushtail Possum Raven chasing feral Cat Quenda baby on board Western Ringtail Possum Photos courtesy of Nullaki Conservation Initiative WICC welcomes aboard our newest Project Officer, Kylie Cook. Kylie is a scientist and local farmer, operating the family farm with her husband in Scotsdale. Kylie will be overseeing our dung beetle program and assisting WICC Board Member, Dr Mark McHenry with our biochar program. All donations over $2 or more are tax deductable WICC would like to give a big thanks to the gracious farmers who donated livestock feed in support of those affected by the recent Denmark bushfires. Also a big thank you to Mark Bailey and Ken Zambonetti who donated their time and trucks to deliver much of it. About 220 bales was delivered throughout the firezone. We still have a few growers who will need assistance with feed. If you can spare some bales please contact Shaun at
[email protected] . Mark and Lynn Bailey Sydney Golden Wattle Silver Wattle Flinders Range Wattle Weedy Wattles Weedy Wattles are woody perennials which have established in bushland outside their normal range. They continue to increase in girth even after they have reached their maximum height. Many land managers including local and state government bodies, not‐for‐profit natural resource management groups, farmers and private entities are working hard to control these weeds on their lands. You can help by replacing potential weed wattless growing on your property with native trees or with other species that have less potential to become weeds in native bushland. Silver Wattle, Mimosa. ( Acacia dealbata) Spreading shrub/tree <30m. Grey bark, corrugated when old, angular powdery branches. Young growth silvery white. Silvery, hairy, fern like leaves approx. 10cm. Flowers late winter - spring, showy sprays of perfumed, golden yellow globular flowers. Less widely planted
