In this series of short videos, we share the experiences of Tasmanian farmers using trees to help them achieve socio-economic and environmental goals. Hosted by Sally Dakis, journalist and ex presenter of Tasmanian Country Hour on ABC Radio, we meet some of the farmers, researchers and experts as they recount their real-life experiences.
Ed Archer’s family has been farming Greenhythe on the banks of the Tamar, north of Launceston, since 1876. The family operates a nationally recognised Angus stud, and a Launceston butcher shop selling Landfall branded beef and prime lamb. Ed grew up watching his father plant trees and now intends to plant more. So, how does he see the role of trees in the past, the present and the future?
Not many farmers get to design their own farm from a clean slate. But that was the case for Andrew Colvin. Andrew focuses on valuable grass-seed crops and prime lambs on the 800-hectare property, turning off 13,000 head a year. Over the last 40 years he's invested in trees in strategic places for specific purposes, and he's convinced they've helped underpin his farm's productivity.
In the early 2000s Chris White decided to plant as many as 8,000 trees alongside rivulets on his farm at Wattle Grove. The planning was driven by the sight of deteriorating riverbanks, soil erosion, animal welfare, and a desire to leave the farm in better condition. 15 years later, the initiative has changed the nature of the farm, providing the CSIRO with real evidence on how trees can lift farm productivity and environmental sustainability.
A practising engineer and scientist, Anh Nguyen's research into new farming techniques saw her named the Tasmanian winner of the 2019 Agrifutures Rural Women's Award. In the three years Anh and her family have owned Ese Vineyard, they've introduced biodynamic farming practices, and in doing so, produced a product that consumers are increasingly looking for.
So, how can we be reassured that in the future, wood will hold value? Michael Lee, from the University of Tasmania's Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood, sees a very robust future for Tasmanian-grown timber. But not just for products as we know them now.
Tasmania more than most Australian states appreciates the significance of a brand and the story. Under the umbrella of Brand Tasmania, that story is going to be more compelling. Todd Babiak, the CEO of Brand Tasmania, says the state's future story is more than becoming reliant on renewable energy; it's also about food, farming, trees and wood.
