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SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY
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Student Name: MA. CHARMAINE MICIANO
Student ID No.: XXXXXXXXXX
Unit Name: AGROFORESTRY AND FARM FORESTRY
Unit Code: FOR03110
Tutor’s name: J DOLAND NICHOLS
Assignment No.: 3
Assignment Title: REPORT
Due date: OCTOBER 18, 2019
Date submitted: OCTOBER 20, 2019
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Signed: MA. CHARMAINE MICIANO
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Date: OCTOBER 18, 2019
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ent.php?id=00140#s18
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FRIDA’S FIELD PROPERTY
AGROFORESTRY FARM PLAN
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Table of Contents
I. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………….…...1
A. Benefits of Farm Forestry…………………………………………….….4
II. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION……………………………………………. .4
A. Site Description………………………………………………………..…5
1. Soil Landscapes……………………………………………………....5
2. Climate, Rainfall and Temperature………………………………..…6
3. Vegetation Communities………………………………………….…8
4. Bushfire Hazard……………………………………………………...9
5. Flooding………………………………………………………….….10
B. Site Analysis………………………………………………………….…10
1. Weeds………………………………………………………………..11
2. Erosion………………………………………………………………12
3. Cu
ent Vegetation…………………………………………………..13
4. Soils………………………………………………………………….14
III. FARM FOREST OBJECTIVES…………………………………………..16
A. Silvipastoral System……………………………………………………..16
IV. REGULATION AND FARM
OBJECTIVES………………………………………………………………16
A. Plantation Establishment………………………………………....……....16
B. Regulation and the Farm Plan………………………………………....…17
V. IMPLEMENTATION OF FARM PLAN…………………………………17
A. Planning a Farm Forest……………………………………………….….17
1. Farm Forest Timeline………………………………………..………17
2. Infrastructure and Earthworks……………………………………….18
B. Site Selection…………………………………………………………….19
C. Species Selection………………………………………………………...19
1. Silvipastoral System…………...…………………………………….19
D. Establishment Procedure…………………………………………………24
E. Silvicultural Treatments………………………………………………….25
F. Ground and Preparation and Treatment………………………………….25
G. Tree Sourcing and Stocking……………………………………………...25
H. Maintenance Schedule………………………………………………...…26
I. Thinning and Pruning…………………………………………………….27
J. Farm Forest Map…………………………………………………………28
K. Grazing Cattle……………………………………………………………29
VI. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND
TAXATION……………………...…………………………………………..29
A. Tax………………………………………………………………………..29
B. Financial Models…………………………………………………………31
1. Cost Analysis…………………………………………………………32
2. Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return……………………….33
3. Structural Impediments……………………………………………….33
4. Ca
on Sequestration…………………………………………………34
5. Summary……………………………………………………………...34
XXXXXXXXXXAppendix 1. ……………………………………………………………….35
XXXXXXXXXXREFERENCES………………………………………………………….....36
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I. INTRODUCTION
The Frida’s Field property is a 48.56 hectares (ha) of farm located at the subu
of Nashua,
north-east of New South Wales. Historically, before the owner purchased the farm it was
named as Glen
ook by the previous landholder. As of to date, the farm is a blank canvas but
the owner is raising seventy (70)
eeders of Angus- Wagyu and has an Ai
nb holiday rental.
In addition, there are an on-going construction of restaurant and vegetable garden in the farm.
Whereas, in terms of the vegetation in the farm a range of exotic and native tree species are
found on its riparian zone. Apart from these, the owner has a vision of building a productive,
diversified, sustainable farm that integrates plants and animals which can help to regenerate
the land. Another is, planting various beneficial tree species that can produce timber, fodder,
edible fruits as well as environmental services including nitrogen fixing and ca
on sink.
Moreover, in terms of animals the owner is also planning to raise pasture chickens along with
cattle and other animals like ra
its, sheep, and pigs.
Considering the owner’s vision, this agroforestry farm plan aims to introduce the silvipastoral
system to integrate tree species and animals. In addition, this will explore different tree species
that can provide fodder for the livestock, fix nitrogen in the soil, and produce timber.
A. Benefits of Farm Forestry
Farm forestry have several benefits. One of these is having different income resources while
having the main source of earning. Aside from this, the trees that are cultivated as timber can
also provide shade, shelter, land rehabilitation and environmental benefits without requiring
an extra cost. Other uses are protection for crops and pasture, control of noxious weeds, farm
eautification and restoration and enhancement of conservation biodiversity (Cole-Clark,
1999).
II. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
The Frida’s Field property consists of two residential houses, one garage, two storage sheds,
one timber cottage with saltbox roof design (Figure 1a), one timber cottage near the vegetable
garden (Figure 1b), on-going construction of restaurant (Figure 1c), one Ai
nb holiday rental
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(Figure 1d), and on-going establishment of vegetable garden. It is su
ounded by the Wilson
River and Byron Creek.
Figure 1. Frida’s Field Property Establishment.
A. Site Description
Physical Address: 76 Booyong Road, Nashua, 2479
Property ID: Lot157 DP755695
Size: 48.56 ha (120 acres)
Elevation: 26 m
Local Council: Byron Shire Council
1. Soil Landscapes
There are two soil landscapes identified by Morand XXXXXXXXXXin the Frida’s Field Property which
are the Ewingsdale (Residual Landscape) and Eltham (Alluvial Landscape). Based on the
generated map (Figure 2), the Ewingsdale is located in the area of the property wherein most
of the buildings were constructed. Ewingsdale soil landscape develops in the Lismore Basalts
with very low to low undulating hills. It has a relief of 10-30 meters (m) and a slope of 3-10
%. Formerly, it was a closed forest but was cleared resulting to a sod grassland. Aside from
these, the depth of it is XXXXXXXXXXcm and have a well-drained Krasnozems (red basaltic soil).
The disadvantage of this soil landscape is having a low available water-holding capacity and
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an extreme level of toxicity potential with localised stoniness. Whereas, for the Eltham, it
composed the pastureland of the property. This soil landscape covers a large area of floodplains
of highly low relief, has a level to gently undulating hills, and draining a highly basalt area
formed by weathering. It has a slope of 0-2% and relief of less than 5 m. Similar to Ewingsdale,
it was a previously closed forest but was cleared for agricultural purposes and was part of the
Big Scrub. The depth of it is greater than 200 cm and completely well-drained alluvial
Krasnozems. Moreover, this kind of soil landscape has a strongly acid soil with low water
holding capacity and a risk for flooding.
XXXXXXXXXXFigure 2. Soil Landscapes of the Frida’s Field Property.
2. Climate, Rainfall, and Temperature
The property is located in the north-east New South Wales. According to the Subtropical Farm
Forestry Association (2001), the climate in the north-east New South Wales along with the
south-east Queensland is extremely good for growing a tree due to the usable amount of soil
moisture for most of the year, moderate winters and very warm to hot summers. As illustrated
in figure 3, the average rainfall pattern in a year for this region has a range of 1000 – 1500
millimeters (mm) (Bureau of Meteorology, n.d.).
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Figure 3. Average Annual Rainfall of Australia (Australian Government Bureau of
Meteorology, 2010).
The average amount of rainfall, and the average maximum and minimum temperature
data were obtained in the nearest automatic weather station (AWS) which is the Ballina
Airport AWS. In terms of the average rainfall (Figure 4), the months from January to
June were documented to have the heaviest rainfall. Whereas, for the average
temperature, the hottest months were from November to March (Figure 5) and the
coldest months were from June to August (Figure 6).
Figure 4. Mean Rainfall recorded at the Ballina Airport AWS from 1992 to 2019
(Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, n.d.).
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Figure 5. Mean maximum temperature in degree Celsius recorded at the Ballina
Airport AWS from 1992 to 2019 (Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology,
n.d.)
Figure 6. Mean Maximum Temperature in Degree Celsius recorded at the Ballina
Airport AWS from 1992 to 2019 (Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology,
n.d.).
3. Vegetation Communities
Based on the Transitional Native Vegetation Regulatory Map of New South Wales, the
vegetation that can be found in the riparian zones of the farm are classified under the
‘Category 2’ (vulnerable regulated map) (Figure 7). This means that the land is ‘steep
or highly erodible lands, protected riparian land or special category land’ and the ‘native
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vegetation as dead and non-native’ based on the section 60F(2)(c) and 60B(3) of the
Local Land Services Act of 2013 (New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry
and Environment, n.d.).
Figure 7. Vegetation in the riparian zone categorized by Vulnerable Regulated Land (Native
Vegetation Regulatory Map, 2019)
4. Bushfire Hazard
As shown in figure 8, some portion of the sites are included in the Vegetation Category
2 which are depicted by the light orange colour. This category implies that the site has
a lower bush fire risk and need a 30-metre buffer. Furthermore, this vegetation category
is less flammable because of the vegetation area shape and size, land geography and
management practices (New South Wales Rural Fire Service,