Creating Landscape-scale Change through the Promotion of Resilient Pasture Systems

The Creating Landscape-scale Change Through Drought Resilient Pasture Systems (Resilient Pastures) project was developed using a co-design process in response to Farming Systems Groups identifying with local landholders that an important issue for the livestock industry was pasture decline – the loss of valued species from pastures due to drought.

In dry times it’s an ongoing challenge for producers to manage pasture and groundcover resources to protect soils while also effectively managing the health and welfare of livestock. Withstanding drought conditions is also a key measure of resilience in a pasture system.

To help farmers understand how specific pasture species choices and management practices would work to prevent pasture decline during drought the project established 10 focal points and trial sites across southern and central NSW.

Project outcomes

70% of participants in Resilient Pastures events were confident to make a practice change on their farm as a result of attending and 60% felt more prepared for a future drought.

The project activities including field days, webinars and Producer Reference Group meetings reinvigorated landholders to consider changes in pasture management through peer-to-peer learning. Some of the on-farm changes they identified as being likely to make were:

  • Sowing of new pasture varieties to complement their management styles and regional conditions to boost the economics of the farm business
  • More robust soil testing to monitor nutrient levels and address constraints
  • Nutrient and fertiliser use in pasture management, including applications at establishment and ongoing maintenance to support pasture perenniality.

As the project lead, Holbrook Landcare Network created the Pasture Tech Hub, a collection of online resources for farmers on various aspects of perennial pasture management that resulted from the project. Resources include information on pasture mixes, lucerne persistence, farmer experiences, scaled-out modelling of pasture management and location-specific information for perennial pasture management in Southern NSW.

Project lead

Holbrook Landcare Network

Project partners

Project funding

The Creating Landscape-scale Change through the Promotion of Resilient Pasture Systems project received funding from the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund under the Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes Grants Program.