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March 2013

CLIMATE
NSW seasonal outlook
The national outlook for March to May 2013 indicates average autumn rainfall for NSW and wetter than normal autumn for western NSW (top left), cooler days (top right) and average to warmer nights (below right). The outlook is due mainly to warmer than normal waters in the Indian Ocean. The skill in predicting NSWs rainfall outlook is low at this time of year (bottom left), so caution is needed when using the outlook to make decisions.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/?ref=ftr

Ocean temperatures
Ocean temperatures around most of Australia are warmer than average which may promote increased regional rainfall.
http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/sst/anomaly/index.html

El Nino developments
Climate models indicate ENSO-neutral conditions are likely to persist through the southern hemisphere autumn. Sustained SOI values above +8 may indicate a La Nia event, sustained negative values below 8 may indicate an El Nio event. Values between +8 and 8 generally indicate neutral conditions.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/

East coast low

NSWs most significant rain event in February was an east coast low which produced heavy rain across much of coastal NSW. The highest daily fall was 415.2 mm at Mt Seaview, its wettest day on record for any month. The rain fell on already wet catchments following heavy rain in late January, leading to flooding across the northern rivers, mid north coast and Hunter regions.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/month/nsw/summary.shtml

Soil moisture increases

January and February rains have helped replenish NSW topsoil moisture in February along Australias east coast, and subsoil moisture along the coast.

Soil moisture profiles from left: February topsoil, January topsoil, February subsoil, January subsoil. http://www.eoc.csiro.au/awap/cgi/awap2.pl?ser=Australia_2007monthly25a

Water storages
NSW water storages have dropped to 62.3% of their capacity, compared with 80.9% last year.
http://water.bom.gov.au/waterstorage/awris/#urn:bom.gov.au:awris:common:codelist: region.state:newsouthwales

NSW seasonal conditions

The NSW Government is replacing state drought declarations with a monthly regional seasonal conditions report to help landholders manage operations and prepare for worsening seasonal conditions. The reports will also be used by the Regional Assistance Advisory Committee as a basis to make recommendations on potential farm business, farm family and community support.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/emergency/seasonal-conditions/regional-seasonal-conditions-reports

MetEye trial
This month BoM will launch its new MetEye map viewer and local weather pages as an experimental trial service. It has similar features to Forecast Explorer.
http://www.bom.gov.au/weatherservices/announcements/general/meteye-dashboard.shtml

POAMA is coming
From May, BoM forecasts will be based on dynamic climate modelling rather than historical records. BoM will use its Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia (POAMA) which uses ocean and atmosphere conditions to create forecasts. Presentations from a November workshop explaining the models capability, including a farmers perspective, are available online.
http://poama.bom.gov.au/poama_workshop.shtml

NSW adaptation research hub tender

The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage will establish a NSW adaptation research hub in 2013 with universities and research institutions specialising in climate impacts and adaptation research. Research will cover coastal processes and responses, biodiversity and adaptive communities.
https://tenders.nsw.gov.au/oeh/?event=public.rft.showClosed&RFTUUID=B519EB63-A800-9DD4-D1FFA2002DC180F2

CLIMATE RESOURCES
Annual climate summary
BoMs 2012 climate summary provides a national overview of temperature, rainfall and significant events, and reports essential information for all climate-affected industries and anyone interested in Australias climate. The year included severe flooding and a significant heatwave. A two minute video summary is also available.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/annual_sum/2012/index.shtml

Flood resilience
A study of the impacts of the 2010-11 floods found high levels of acceptance of catastrophe and stoic endurance, reflecting strong community resilience. That resilience can be built on to advance adaptive behaviour, but it needs to be nurtured and facilitated by external agencies.
http://www.nccarf.edu.au/publications/floods-household-adaptation-strategies

Our angry summer

The Climate Commissions latest report, The angry summer, says the season was unusual for the record-breaking intensity and duration of the weather events, with one of the driest periods on record from July to December, an unusually long and widespread heatwave in December-January; and record-breaking rainfall on the east coast in January-February.
http://climatecommission.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/6868R-DCCEE-Angry-Summer-Report_lowres.pdf

BoM rainfall and river conditions

During wet periods, BoM rainfall and river conditions provides a useful visual record of current and recent rainfall and river heights.
http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/flood/

NCCARF agriculture research

The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility has summarised its agricultural research projects in an information sheet Climate change adaptation knowledge for agriculture.
http://www.nccarf.edu.au/sites/default/files/attached_files_publication s/AgricultureResearchFactsheet.pdf

NCCARF policy briefs

The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility has released five policy guidance briefs on decision-making tools, coastal communities and ecosystems, local government, agriculture, and water resources. Another seven briefs are due later in the year.
http://www.nccarf.edu.au

Adaptation practices urgently needed

A new NCCARF review of climate adaptation to date says there is an urgent need to develop and promulgate good practices and products to support organisations and decision-makers.
http://www.nccarf.edu.au/publications/leading-adaptation-practices-and-support-strategies

Recalibrating food production in a changing climate

This analysis by 70 scientists from the international agricultural research group CGIAR summarises the effects of climate change on 22 of the most important agricultural commodities and three critical natural resources and says changes to food sources will require cultural change which should get as much attention as plant breeding.
http://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/24696

Organic farming manual on climate change adaptation

The Organic Federation of Australias climate change manual is now available free online. It is based on published scientific research, including data from leading organic research institutes and the international organic body, IFOAM..
http://www.ofa.org.au/media/OrganicProducersManagingClimateChange2010.pdf

APO climate adaptation collection

Australian Policy Online has developed a collection of articles on climate change adaptation. This collection features work by NCCARF as well as other sources and includes research, commentary, audio and video.
http://apo.org.au/collections/climate-change-adaptation

EMISSIONS
Eleven CFI methodologies now approved
There are now 11 methodologies approved for Carbon Farming Initiative projects. Three relate to destruction of manure methane, four to vegetation, and four to landfill waste. Another 13 methodology proposals are under consideration by the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee, and five proposals have not been endorsed.
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/initiatives/carbon-farming-initiative/methodology-development.aspx

Approval for 46 CFI projects

The Clean Energy Regulator has now approved 46 projects using CFI methodologies. Of these 30 are capturing and combusting methane in landfill gas from legacy waste; 10 are reducing greenhouse gas emissions through early dry season savanna burning; 3 are destroying methane generated from manure in piggeries; 2 are quantifying carbon sequestration by permanent environmental plantings of native species using the CFI reforestation modelling tool; and one is diverting landfill for alternative fuel manufacture.
http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/Carbon-Farming-Initiative/Register-of-Offsets-Projects/Pages/default.aspx

Comments called for two methodology proposals

The Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee has released two new methodology proposals for comment: composting landfill waste and feeding dietary waste to dairy cows. Comments close on 10 April.
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/en/government/initiatives/carbon-farming-initiative/methodologydevelopment/proposals.aspx

Biodiversity funding offers carbon credits opportunity

The Australian Governments Biodiversity Fund offers landholders the opportunity to both improve landscape connectivity through tree planting and claim carbon offset credits through the CFI, provided that the project meets the criteria of both programs.
http://www.environment.gov.au/cleanenergyfuture/biodiversity-fund/round-2/apply.html#guidelines

Australias carbon budget

The Australian landscape soaked up 33 per cent of the carbon emitted by fossil fuels in Australia over the past 20 years, while increased carbon dioxide has caused a 15 per cent increase in Australian plant production relative to preindustrial times, according to a new CSIRO study. Grassy vegetation (dominant in dry and savanna regions) accounts for 56% of carbon uptake while woody vegetation accounts for 44%. In wet years, the Australian biosphere breathes in a vast amount of carbon from the atmosphere, exceeding the total of humaninduced greenhouse gas emissions, while in dry years, the biosphere breathes out a nearly equal amount of carbon back to the atmosphere this variability is associated with Australias highly variable climate.
http://www.biogeosciences.net/10/851/2013/bg-10-851-2013.html

Crops can be carbon sinks or sources

A seven year study of carbon and water fluxes in experimental field plots has found that crops such as maize or rapeseed are carbon sinks, while sunflower and silage maize are carbon sources. Silage maize produced up to 1.3 grams of carbon per litre of water consumed, against 0.65 grams for wheat, and 0.2 grams for sunflower. However, wheat captures more carbon in the soil, sequestering up to 1 gram of carbon per litre of water consumed.
http://phys.org/news/2013-01-agronomic-production-water-saving-soil.html

Nitrogen constrains plant growth in enhanced CO2

A 13 year study of grasslands under enhanced CO2 and soil nitrogen found that the nitrogen availability had no effect on plant biomass for the first three years of the study, but doubled plant biomass in the next nine years, indicating that nitrogen availability can constrain plants ability to take up increased CO2.
http://www.nature.com/news/earth-s-carbon-sink-downsized-1.11503

Earthworms contribute to soil emissions

Analysis of studies into earthworms' role in the carbon and nitrogen cycles.has found that the presence of earthworms appears to increase soils' output of carbon dioxide by 33 percent and nitrous oxide by 42 percent.
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1692.html

Organisms release more carbon in warmer temperatures

Warmer temperatures could cause soils to release additional carbon into the atmosphere, but the effect diminishes over the long term. The activities of soil microorganisms release 10 times the carbon dioxide that human activities do on a yearly basis. Historically, this release of carbon dioxide has been kept in check by plants' uptake of the gas from the atmosphere. However, human activities are potentially upsetting this balance.
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1796.html

WATER
WA catchments are drying
Runoff into the WA reservoirs is projected to reduce by about three times more than the reduction in rainfall. Catchments have dried so much since 1975 that a given rainfall amount now generates less runoff. Catchment water yields will only recover if there are decades of rainfall large enough to raise groundwater levels within the deeply weathered profiles. According to model projections, this is unlikely to happen.
http://www.clw.csiro.au/publications/waterforahealthycountry/swsy/pdf/SWSY-Factsheet-Overview.pdf

Global water risk increasing

World Resources Institutes water stress maps using 2010 data show that water stress is more prevalent and more severe than estimated in 2000, particularly in China, Asia and Africa.
http://aqueduct.wri.org/

International year of water cooperation

The focus of this international year is to raise awareness of the potential for increased cooperation, and the challenges facing water management.
http://www.unwater.org/watercooperation2013.html

SOILS
Soil carbon paddock protocols
A protocol for assessing soil carbon levels in farm paddocks was developed by NSW DPI, Office of Environment and Heritage and Lachlan Catchment Management Authority as part of the CAMBI project, in which soil carbon levels in paddocks had to be assessed as part of farm contracts to increase soil carbon over five years.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/457228/Soil-testing-protocols-at-the-paddock-scale-for-contracts-andaudits.pdf

NSW soils in fair condition

NSW soils are in fair condition according to the 2012 NSW State of the Environment report. Current land management practices are broadly sustainable with only a moderate risk of degradation but this varies across soil health indicators and catchment management areas. More widespread use of conservation farming practices is helping to counteract pressures on soil resources. Right: NSW land management issues: acidity (red), carbon decline (grey), salinity (aqua), sheet and gully erosion (green), soil structure decline (yellow) and wind erosion (mauve).
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2012/

Carbon farming and the soil sequestering conundrum

A recent ABC Radio National program on carbon farming says the CFI faces several challenges, with concerns that some high profile carbon farming methods havent been scientifically proved, and farmers waiting to see what happens to the scheme if the government changes.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/the-carbon-conundrum/4532742

Queensland soils conservation resources

Resources related to the adoption of soil conservation measures in Queensland are now available online. They include historical videos, and a pictorial history of soil conservation.
http://landcare.org.au/resources-links/achieving-soil-conservation-in-queensland/

New edition: Soil conditions and plant growth

Edited by Gregory and Nortcliff, this book is a completely revised and updated edition of the classic Russells soil conditions and plant growth to better understand and manage the many interactions that occur between soils and plants.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soil-conditions-and-plant-growth-p-gregory/1110106683

ENERGY
NSW coal seam gas measures
The NSW Government has announced new measures for the states coal seam gas operations, including a two kilometre exclusion zone around residential zones and exclusion zones for viticulture and the equine industry. Exploration, assessment and production titles and activities will be required to hold an Environment Protection Licence, and an Office of CSG Regulation will be established within the Department of Trade and Investment. The Chief Scientist and Engineer will conduct an independent review of all CSG activities, including the potential impact on water catchments, management of risks arising from CSG activities, and management of the interface with residential properties in non-urban areas. A preliminary report is to be delivered to the government in July this year.
http://www.resources.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/458018/TOUGH-NEW-RULES-FOR-COAL-SEAM-GASACTIVITY.pdf

Coal seam gas developments

Environment Minister, Tony Burke, has given conditional approval to the Maules Creek and Boggabri mine proposals, and the Gloucester coal seam methane gas project, subject to strict conditions and further work to minimise their potential environmental impacts.
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/burke/2013/mr20130211a.html

BIODIVERSITY
Pesticides and fertilisers impact amphibians
A review of the impact of pesticides and fertilisers on amphibians found that inorganic fertilisers, organophosphates, chloropyridinyl, phosphonoglycines, carbamates, and triazines negatively affected amphibian survival, while organophosphates and phosphonoglycines negatively affected amphibian growth. Best management practices in agroecosystems need to incorporate amphibian species-specific response to agrochemicals as well as life stage dependent susceptibility to best conserve amphibian biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23422494

Importance of grazing herds for soil fertility

This Allan Savory TED talk looks at the importance of grazing herds in keeping grasslands healthy and fertile. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpTHi7O66pI&feature=youtu.be

FOOD
Climate change and food systems review
This review provides a critical literature review of the relationship between climate change and food systems. The impacts of global climate change on food systems are expected to be widespread, complex, geographically and temporally variable, and profoundly influenced by socioeconomic conditions.
http://www.annualreviews.org/eprint/EBIXxM7sNxrBJyuRYgki/full/10.1146/annurev-environ-020411-130608

Reconnect food sources and consumers

Separation of people from their food sources has resulted in ignorance and misconceptions about how food is produced and massive waste. Returning to a more environmentally sustainable farm system would involve more than changing the land, according to rural journalist Asa Wahlquists recent article on ABCs Ockhams Razor.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/pigs-and-poultry/4426240#transcript

Econutrition approach to food security

Monash Universitys Mark Wahlqvist says it is time to take an ecosystems approach to food security econutrition, incorporating a greater appreciation for the ways in which the biodiversity and ecology of local areas relate to the functioning of food systems.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/the-foresight-saga/4491164#transcript

Feeding the future report

This report from the Department of Foreign affairs and Trade outlines practical ways to strengthen investment and technological cooperation in agriculture between Australia and China.
http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/feeding-the-future/feeding-the-future.pdf

Green food project

This UK report looks at the key issues faced by the natural environment within the English food system, focusing on how to improve the environment and increase food production. It concludes that it will be difficult to move towards a position where the true value of farmings ecosystem services is reflected in markets and food prices, so there is a role for policy makers to ensure that this happens.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13794-greenfoodproject-report.pdf

UK website for sustainable food production

The UK National Environment Research Council has established a website to provide science-based information on natural resource management options to make food production more sustainable. The site offers possible actions that can be undertaken, with a plain English summary of the available evidence for whether the action is effective.
http://www.nercsustainablefood.com/

Free webinar: Food security and climate change

Tara Garnett, convenor of the food climate research network at Oxford University will give a free webinar on 20 March from Melbourne on greenhouse gas emissions from the global food system and options for reducing them. The FCRN started in 2003 and now has over 2000 members in 30 countries, whose expertise spans soil and agricultural sciences, life cycle analysis, animal welfare, human nutrition, development economics and behavioural psychology. See the site below to register and participate
www.piarn.org.au/events/2013/webinar-tara-garnett

AGree: US food and agriculture policy

The US agriculture and food policy group AGree is working to develop systemic solutions to meet global food demands; conserve and enhance water, soil and habitat; improve nutrition and public health; and strengthen farms and communities to improve livelihoods. It has released five position papers to achieve transformative change within the food and agriculture system.
http://foodandagpolicy.org/

LAND USE
Planning for healthy agriculture
Queensland Farmers Federation has published a guide to good practice land use planning for prosperous agriculture. The guide includes nine planning principles to support agriculture. QFF believes that if these nine principles were addressed in planning documents, strategies and regulations at the state, regional; and local levels, agriculture will be on a healthier footing for the future.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/40874340/2013%20Qlinks/1303/Planning-for-HealthyAgriculture.pdf

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International land purchases linked to water access

A recent study of international purchases of agricultural land shows that 90% are linked to rainwater and irrigation water access. Agricultural, biofuel and timber investors from US, United Arab Emirates, India, UK, Egypt, China and Israel accounted for 60 per cent of the water acquired under these deals. In most cases the purchased land is changed from forest, savanna or small-holder agriculture to large-scale commercial farming.
http://www.pnas.org/content/110/3/892.abstract

SUSTAINABILITY
NSW State of the Environment
The 2012 NSW State of the Environment report covers 22 different environmental issues and addresses 86 indicators: 20 are rated as good, 49 are fair, 14 are poor and the condition of three indicators is classed as unknown due to a lack of information. Right: NSW land use management. Green is sustainably managed, yellow at slight risk of degradation, and orange at moderate risk.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2012/index.htm

Centre for carbon, water and food

Sydney University has opened a Centre for carbon water and food at its Camden campus to focus on developing options that keep people in rural landscapes and address increasing global needs to produce food and fibre in an ecologically sustainable manner.
http://sydney.edu.au/agriculture/research/ccwf.shtml

Eureka Prize for sustainable agriculture

Australias Eureka awards for science and innovation now include the Landcare Eureka Prize for sustainable agriculture for research, development or an application that promotes agricultural productivity and protectings our natural resource base. Entries close on 7 May.
http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka-prize/sustainable-agriculture

NRM blueprint for agriculture

Natural resources is one of seven themes outlined in the recently released Blueprint for Australian Agriculture, a sector-wide effort to set out a strong and sustainable future path for Australian agriculture and its supply chain. Natural resource goals are to improve environmental sustainability and security of access to natural resources, reward environmental stewardship, prepare for climate variability and extreme events, and manage the risk of domestic diseases and pests.
http://www.nff.org.au/read/3842/australias-first-blueprint-for-future-of.html

More food from less land

This issue of Focus magazine covers material from last years Crawford Fund conference on natural resources and food security.
http://www.atse.org.au/Documents/Focus/Focus%20%20175.pdf

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EVENTS
March 5-6 March 5-7 March 7-8 March 20 management-conference-1 March 20-21 March 22 April 7-12 April 10-11 May 22 June 24-27 September 2-6 September 3-5 September 14-19 October 8-11 October 16 December 5 24-27 March 2014 Outlook 2013: Future food, future farming, Canberra http://www.daff.gov.au/abares/outlook National water education conference, Sydney http://www.awa.asn.au/4th_NEC.aspx NSW soil science forum, Hunter Valley http://www.soilscienceaustralia.com.au Innovations in agriculture and NRM, Brisbane http://www.aginstitute.com.au/events/qld/innovations-in-agriculture-and-natural-resource3rd National Sustainable Food Summit, Melbourne http://www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au/p3_Events-Resources.html?&event=88 World Water Day http://www.unwater.org/watercooperation2013/ International Symposium on Soil and Plant Analysis, Queenstown NZ www.isspa2013.com National water congress, Sydney http://abcevents.net.au/water/ International day for biological diversity https://www.cbd.int/idb/ Climate adaptation 2013 http://www.nccarf.edu.au/conference2013/ InterDrought IV, Perth http://www.interdrought4.com/ NSW Landcare Forum, Newcastle http://www.landcarensw.org.au/node/1621 International Grasslands Congress, Sydney http://www.igc2013.com Greenhouse 2013: the science of climate change, Adelaide http://www.greenhouse2013.com/ World Food Day http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldfoodday/en/ World Soil Day http://www.iuss.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=405 Soil change matters symposium, Bendigo

MAILING LIST
To subscribe to NRM on farms, email Rebecca Lines-Kelly at rebecca.lines-kelly@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

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