Rein in the (Fallow) Deer

AUTUMN 2014 ISSUE

SMALL TALK

Rein in the (fallow) deer

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

02 Australian growers resist glyphosate resistance

03 The lizard and the grassland – a scaly tale

04 Case study – Controlled traffic farming – an investment in soil health

06 Our Marine Parks – and what we can do to help protect them

07 Events

07 Contact us Feral Fallow Deer are increasingly being reported in the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges region. Photo: Darryl Panther 08 Handy hint – control of lucerne flea in pastures Escaped Fallow Deer (Dama dama) are well They can change bushland through 08 Things to do – autumn established, widely distributed and being trampling, grazing, ring-barking reported in increasing numbers in the vegetation, dispersing weeds, fouling Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges region. waterholes, spreading plant diseases and disturbing native fauna by destroying These ‘declared’ feral animals are having Natural resources habitat. Deer cause soil erosion and substantial impacts on primary production compaction in areas of high use such management is: and the environment, and can have marked as trails, pastures and creeklines. caring for our land, water, social impacts as well. plants and animals – Social impacts include increased levels In Australia, Fallow Deer occupy forests, of risk to the public and non-target balancing people’s needs grasslands and farmlands. Their preferred species through illegal hunting, road with those of nature. food is grass but they also eat the leaves safety, and destruction of gardens and of shrubs and trees, herbs, bark and some recreational parks. fruit. When present in large numbers, deer congregate in herds. In autumn, bucks Deer were introduced into Australia from (males) call for does (females) from their Europe and Asia in the 19th century as rutting (breeding) areas. To establish the game animals. Today, six species of deer rutting area, bucks trample down the occupy many areas throughout Australia. vegetation and urinate to spread their All deer are declared under the Natural scent, hoping to attract females to mate. Resources Management Act 2004. Deer on Deer compete with stock for pasture, land with the consent of the owner/occupier spread endemic disease, such as Johnes must be securely confined and permanently disease and bovine tuberculosis, ring-bark identified, or without the consent of the trees and destroy saplings, trample and owner/occupier, and after public notification graze agricultural crops and vineyards, requirements have been met, must be compact soil and damage fences. captured, removed and destroyed.

www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges SMALL TALK

Continued from page 1 Australian growers resist Description A Fallow Deer is similar in size to a large domestic goat, and weighs 50–110 kg. glyphosate resistance Coat colour varies but is most commonly fawn or black, with large white spots and Australia’s agricultural sector is uniting have a large impact on the cost and distinctive white markings on the tail and under WeedSmart, an industry-led ease of weed management in Australian buttocks. When disturbed, a deer raises its initiative to promote the long term cropping systems. It is critical that the life tail over its back. Mature males have multi- sustainability of herbicide use in the sector. of this valuable herbicide is extended via pointed, palm-like antlers that look very integrated weed management. The WeedSmart website, different to those of other species. weedsmart.org.au, states: ‘Herbicide Source: Ground Cover Supplement: Fallow Deer are reclusive animals – land use as we know it is under threat. No-till Herbicide Resistance, May–June 2013, owners may be unaware of them, and their farming has made us overly dependent page 6 (access the full supplement impacts, even when there are significant on herbicides, with resistant weeds at www.grdc.com.au/Media-Centre/ numbers. Apart from sightings of animals, threatening the productivity gains of Ground-Cover-Supplements/GCS104) the biggest indicator is tracks. Deer range the past 20 years’. quite widely and are creatures of habit that tend to move along defined pathways that Herbicide use as we know over time develop into well worn tracks. it is under threat. No-till What is being done? farming has made us overly The distribution, impacts and options dependent on herbicides, for controlling Fallow Deer are being with resistant weeds investigated. The region is developing a threatening the productivity strategic management program to reduce gains of the past 20 years. the effect of all feral deer species across the landscape. This excerpt from the Grains Research & Development Corporation sums up the The WeedSmart initiative includes case What can you do? current glyphosate resistance situation: studies, videos, a blog and an app. The Prevent escapes: contain farmed deer 10-point plan has practical tips and tricks Glyphosate-resistant weeds are on the within deer-proof fences; it is the legal to implement these strategies on-farm, rise across Australia, with six species now responsibility of the land owner to contain and further information on the research confirmed with resistant populations deer and register the herd. to back up these steps. – annual ryegrass, barnyard grass, Early detection: report any sightings of liverseed grass, windmill grass, brome 10 ways Australian growers feral deer to Natural Resources, Adelaide grass and fleabane. & Mt Lofty Ranges, where landowners can can fight herbicide resistance Weeds with resistance to glyphosate also obtain advice about control measures. 1. Act now to stop weed seed set have been found in every mainland Coordinate management: join with Australian state. There are 347 2. Capture weed seeds at harvest neighbouring landholders for effective documented glyphosate-resistant 3. Rotate crops and herbicide modes management; feral deer don’t respect populations of annual ryegrass across of action property boundaries and management Australia. Of these cases, nearly half efforts on one property may be undermined come from roadside verges and cropping 4. Test for resistance to establish by deer wandering in from nearby. fencelines – reflecting the long-term a clear picture of paddock-by- paddock farm status Remove: design programs with proper use of glyphosate to control weeds on consideration of local circumstances; property firebreaks and council verges. 5. Aim for 100% control and monitor removal measures can include trapping and Australia has 612,000 kilometres of every spray event road considered at risk of developing humane destruction, and must take animal 6. Don’t automatically reach for weeds with glyphosate resistance, so the welfare into consideration. glyphosate potential problem is huge. Monitor: keep records of the number 7. Never cut the on-label herbicide rate In addition, market research has found of deer sighted and controlled on your and carefully manage spray drift and many land managers are poorly prepared property to monitor actual population sizes, residues trends in distribution and density of deer to deal with the looming crisis. The 8. Plant clean seed into clean paddocks and effects of control programs. majority of the remaining cases stem from long-term use of glyphosate in with clean borders To report sightings of feral deer, or to broadacre cropping systems, particularly 9. Use the double knock technique obtain more information on managing summer fallows. feral deer, contact your local Natural 10. Employ crop competitiveness to Resources office (details p 7). Glyphosate is an excellent herbicide that combat weeds helps keep management costs down, but For more information on pests visit there are no easy replacement options Visit weedsmart.org.au today. www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/ available. The rapid development of adelaidemtloftyranges and look glyphosate-resistant weeds and species’ under the Plants and Animals tab. shift to glyphosate-tolerant status will

02 | Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges SMALL TALK

The lizard and the grassland – a scaly tale

Kate Graham, District Ecologist, Natural Resources Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges

Burrows may have slightly smoothed edges where the Pygmy blue-tongue slides in and out. Photo: Peter Robertson, Wildlife Profiles

The native grasslands that are important made finding a live animal difficult, but for passing prey. Their diet is made up of as grazing systems and as natural plant eventually they were found living below invertebrates like grasshoppers, ants, snails, communities in their own right, are also of ground in spider burrows. beetles and cockroaches as well as small vital importance to South Australia’s very amounts of plant matter. The next challenge was to find out how own species of blue-tongue lizard. widely they occurred. The museum had old Because of the close association with Most of us know the Common Blue-tongue collections from Burra, Gawler and as far unploughed grassland their populations as a welcome visitor to our gardens that south as Marion in Adelaide – in fact the have also declined dramatically as land helps out by eating pests such as slugs, snails lizard’s scientific name is Tiliqua adelaidensis. is converted to cropping. Due to their and caterpillars. We are also probably familiar limited range and specialised habitat Highly sensitive to movement, a Pygmy Blue- with another lizard in the blue-tongue family, needs, Pygmy Blue-tongues are classified tongue quickly backs down its burrow and the Sleepy Lizard (or Stumpy Tail). nationally as Endangered and, as they occur disappears well before a casual walker could almost exclusively on private land, their But do you know the smallest member of observe it. So, using a tiny camera on the continuing survival depends on the farming that family, the Pygmy Blue-tongue? It’s end of a flexible cable, researchers searched communities whose land supports them. found only in a small part of South Australia spider burrows for the lizards and began to from Kapunda to the Hummocks on Yorke build a picture of their distribution. The best ways to help this lizard are to look Peninsula and north to Peterborough. after its grassland home by maintaining The lizards do not dig these burrows a moderate grazing regime, avoiding soil themselves, Wolf and Trapdoor spiders do. disturbances like ploughing or ripping, Growing to a maximum It is likely the Pygmy Blue-tongue looks minimising the use of pesticides or herbicides length of 20 cm it resembles for empty spider holes to move into rather near known populations, and supporting than evicting sitting tenants. There are a miniature version of the research and recovery projects in the region. Common Blue-tongue, which records of Pygmy Blue-tongue being killed by spiders and instances of lizards occurs in all mainland states. eating the spiders. The relationship may be To date more than 30 And, its tongue is not the uneasy, but the spiders are vital to Pygmy populations are known and blue of its relative, it’s pink. Blue-tongue survival. the search continues for more. The preferred burrow has a width of around Before 1992 this lizard had not been seen 2 cm and a depth of up to 30 cm, and is If you would like to find out whether for over 30 years and was thought to be usually located at the base, or on the slopes, your grassland supports Australia’s extinct. That year, someone taking part in of grassy hills where the soil is deeper. smallest blue-tongue please contact a biological survey cut open a dead Brown The only indication that a burrow may be your nearest Natural Resources office Snake near Burra and recognised its latest hosting a Pygmy Blue-tongue is the slightly (details p7). meal as the elusive Pygmy Blue-tongue. smoothed edges where the lizard slides in Thanks to the researchers studying In the ensuing excitement, many reptile and out of the entrance. these lizards and Greening Australia’s enthusiasts searched the surrounding area Pygmy Blue-tongues are ambush predators 2013 Pygmy Blue-tongue Fact Sheet for to try to find a live specimen. Very little was and sit at their burrow opening waiting information in this article. known about its preferred habitat, which

Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges | 03 SMALL TALK

Controlled traffic farming – an investment in soil health

Emma Leonard, AgriKnowHow on behalf of SPAA (Precision Agriculture Australia)

CTF specialist Tim Neale (left) tests the change in soil strength on and between tracks after two years of controlled traffic farming by Tom Robinson (right). Photo: Emma Leonard, AgriKnowHow

Converting rain into as much grain as What is controlled traffic Name: Tom and Ashley Robinson possible is at the heart of Ashley and farming? Tom Robinson’s cropping system. Precision With CTF, wheel centres are standardised Property location: Hoyleton, SA management of seed placement, row spacing and equipment widths matched so that all and crop nutrition all play an important part Property size: 1620 ha vehicles and weight bearing wheels run on in this conversion. But the Robinsons realised the same tracks. For example, if the seeder Current enterprise: Cropping that to maximise production they needed to is 11.50 metres then the sprayboom would wheat, canola really look after their soil. be 34.50 metres. Rainfall: 350–450mm p.a In 2011, the Robinsons converted to When matching widths it is essential to use controlled traffic farming (CTF) to minimise Soil: Red brown clay loam the same unit of measurement and to work traffic compaction on their red brown clay to two decimal places – otherwise misses or Features: Controlled traffic farming, loam soils. precision farming overlaps develop across a paddock. Soil compaction can lower yield by 10–30% Research has calculated that moving to depending on soil type and rainfall, because controlled traffic reduces the area of a of reduced water infiltration, root growth paddock compacted by traffic from 40% and even soil biological activity. to about 11%. Providing there are no barriers to root Taking the step to standardise wheel growth such as salinity, toxic levels of boron centres and match equipment widths seems or shallow sheet rock, reducing traffic to be harder than it sounds. However, compaction can help reverse these effects, Tom Robinson’s advice is to just ‘start allow greater root growth, and improve soil somewhere; have a long-term plan about health and quality. what you want to achieve and implement Increasing root mass means greater potential this as you change over machinery’. for uptake of water and nutrients and generally more resilience to dry periods.

04 | Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Continued from page 4 SMALL TALK

Ashley (left) and Tom Robinson shared their experience of CTF at a workshop organised by SPAA Precision Agriculture Australia in August 2013, supported by funding from Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board Sustainable Industry Grants. Photo: Emma Leonard, AgriKnowHow

For the Robinsons the purchase of a self- The wheels on the air-seeder cart run on Together these improvements have seen propelled sprayer on 120 inch (3.05 m) 120 inch centres as do the wheels on the better root and plant development and this wheel centres was the starting point. new frame for the fertiliser spreader. certainly has not had a negative impact on yield. Over two seasons it is hard to attribute ‘We had been working up and back for All vehicles except the harvester are now yield increases to a single system change. 4 years and running RTK [satellite running on the same wheel centres. navigation] guidance and autosteer on ‘When we change the harvester we will ‘From my perspective, changing to CTF everything, which gives us +/- 2 cm have the new machine modified to 120 inch is the next logical step after moving to repeatable accuracy, so we were already wheel centres and an extended auger to zero-till; more tillage is never going to fix minimising pass to pass overlap for a piece keep the chaser bin on the tracks.’ soil compaction, so confining compaction of equipment,’ said Tom. to small areas of the paddock is the logical The Robinsons selected a 100 foot boom solution,’ said Tom. ‘As the sprayer had 120 inch wheel centres, on the self-propelled sprayer, based on roughly one metre wider than our tractor, it matching up with other equipment. The The Robinsons prefer to consider the outlay meant we were creating a new set of wheel disc seeder is 33.3 feet as is the throw on equipment as an investment in soil health tracks, resulting in more compaction and achieved by the fertiliser spreader and the and the long-term sustainability of their crop loss.’ cut of the stripper front on the harvester. production system, with the benefits of soil improvement and water use efficiency. So, the Robinsons decided to modify other tractors to run on 120 inch wheel centres. Since converting to CTF the SPAA Precision Agriculture Australia hosted a workshop at Ashley and Tom’s property in On the tractor used to pull the disc seeder, Robinsons feel they have August 2013, where the Robinson’s shared the inside duals were removed to leave the increased water infiltration their experience of CTF with local growers required width. into the soil profile. and agronomists. The invited speakers A local engineer was commissioned to were Mr Tim Neale and Sam Trengove. produce extensions for the front axle of the With CTF Tom and his father are not dealing The workshop was made possible through tractor used to pull the fertiliser spreader. with random traffic marks and this has funding from the AMLR NRM Sustainable These extensions, commonly known as helped achieve more consistent and accurate Industry Grants. cotton reels, have been extremely well seeding depth across the sown area, which For further information please see made and no additional weight is carried they consider to be very important. www.spaa.com.au on the front of the tractor – both important factors if cotton reels are to survive the forces placed on them.

Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges | 05 SMALL TALK

Our Marine Parks – and what we can do to help protect them

breeding, shelter and feeding areas for a wide range of species. Examples of these protected places are the Light River Delta, regarded by some scientists as one of the most pristine estuaries in South Australia, the iconic Port Noarlunga and Aldinga reefs, headland reefs and seagrasses at Rapid Bay, critical sea lion breeding areas at North Pages Island, a whale aggregation hotspot off Victor Harbor and a section of the unique Coorong surf beach. Only a small portion of our marine waters are sanctuary zones. They exclude mining, trawling or fishing, giving marine animals a safe place to go about the business of breeding, raising their young and growing to adulthood. Protecting marine nurseries and other critical habitats generates stronger, healthier marine ecosystems in the long term, and supports the marine food chain and our recreational and economic needs.

How can I help protect the new marine parks?

A blue devil fish peers out of its reef home off the Fleurieu Peninsula. Photo: Simon Bryars At the bottom of our catchments, our seas tell us much about how successful we are in improving the quality of water Our marine environment is under pressure activities that South Australians love, entering our streams and rivers. Nutrient from land and marine pollution, resource such as fishing, boating, swimming, and sediment loads can have rapid and use, invasive pest species and the effects diving, surfing and paddling. devastating impacts on coastal reefs and seagrass meadows, and the marine life that of climate change. Considering the many A significant area of AMLR’s waters are lives there. From the top of the catchment watercourses and estuaries of the AMLR now protected in two marine parks. Upper to near the coast, fencing stock out of region, land owners and managers have Gulf St Vincent Marine Park protects watercourses, revegetating stream and river a vital role to play in minimising some of mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrass banks, preventing erosion by ensuring good these pressures, especially from the meadows north of Port Gawler, including groundcover and minimising chemical use, impacts of land use. Light River and Middle Beach. The park all make a difference to the health of our Biodiversity in the Adelaide and Mount extends to the top of the gulf and across seas and improve the benefits of our new Lofty Ranges (AMLR) region doesn’t stop to Ardrossan, in waters managed by the marine parks. at the shore. Beneath the waters of Gulf neighbouring Northern and Yorke Region. For further information St Vincent, Backstairs Passage and the Further south, Encounter Marine Park southern ocean off Encounter Bay is an covers waters south of Christies Beach The government allowed 2 years for amazing variety of marine life. and includes the coasts of the Fleurieu restrictions on fishing to come into Peninsula, Backstairs Passage, Victor Harbor effect to help people prepare for the To help conserve our marine and the upper Coorong. The park extends changes that begin in October 2014. species and the beautiful marine west to Kangaroo Island’s Dudley Peninsula, Download marine park sanctuary and environment they call home, American River and waters around Kingscote. restricted access zone coordinates for South Australia has created a Marine park zones have been carefully most popular GPS units from the Zones system of marine parks as an designed, with extensive input from the page of www.marineparks.sa.gov.au community, to protect examples of our investment in the state’s future. You can also get the free My Parx marine life and habitats while ensuring smartphone app, which includes minimal impact on recreational fishing Our marine parks are much the same as marine park maps, zone locations activities. Access to jetties, boat ramps and and navigation alerts. the 21% of South Australia’s land set aside popular beaches has not been affected. for conservation in parks and reserves. A free CD is available with sanctuary They help protect and conserve our marine Sanctuary zones, where low-impact and restricted access zone coordinates environment while allowing us to soak up recreational activities are still encouraged, by calling 1800 006 120 or email the scenery and enjoy many recreational now protect a number of important [email protected]

06 | Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges SMALL TALK

Events Contact us

Supported by your NRM Levy NATURAL RESOURCES CENTRES Upcoming events can be found at www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges under Education: Landholder education and training. If you would like Natural Resources staff to run a specific field day for your organisation, please get in touch with us on any Head office of the numbers listed in the column on the right. 205 Greenhill Road Eastwood SA 5063 (08) 8273 9100 Workshops – Free Field days – Free [email protected]

Hot House Hygiene Healthy Soils/Healthy Paddocks Gawler office April March 8 Adelaide Road Virginia (Jessica Cavallo, Gawler Office) Echunga (James Donnelly, Lobethal Office) Gawler SA 5118 (08) 8523 7700 Managing Bushland Exotic Trees in Your Watercourse [email protected] April June Kenton Valley (Anthony Abley, Cudlee Creek (Will Hannaford, Lobethal office Lobethal Office) Lobethal Office) 1 Adelaide Lobethal Road Lobethal SA 5241 Best Practice Pasture and Gorse Control (08) 8389 5900 Grazing Management May [email protected] June Parawa (Lisa Blake, Willunga Office) Woodside (Will Hannaford, Lobethal Office) Willunga office Springton (Gawler Office) Fencing – Conventional and 5 Aldinga Road Electric Willunga SA 5172 Course – $75/property June (08) 8550 3400 Gawler (Gawler Office) [email protected] Managing your property for biodiversity Pasture Management SUSTAINABLE March June North Para (Kate Graham and Chris Madigan, Fleurieu area (Jodie Pain, Willunga Office) AGRICULTURE OFFICERS Gawler Office) Rachel Van Dissel Lobethal (08) 8389 5924 or 0427 840 443 [email protected] COMMUNITY-RUN NATURAL RESOURCE CENTRES Jodie Pain Mount Pleasant Victor Harbor Willunga (08) 8550 3405 or 0400 294 676 132 Melrose St 41 Victoria Street [email protected] Mount Pleasant SA 5235 Victor Harbor SA 5211 (08) 8568 1907 (08) 8552 0301 [email protected] Libby Lawson Adelaide Hills Gawler (08) 8523 7720 or 0427 279 647 Willunga Environment Centre 1 Crescent Drive [email protected] 18 High St Norton Summit SA 5136 Willunga SA 5172 (08) 8390 1891 (08) 8556 4188 [email protected] [email protected] Gawler Normanville Located at Service Area Hub 3/50 Main Road 8 Adelaide Road Normanville SA 5204 Gawler SA 5118 (08) 8558 3644 (08) 8523 7700 [email protected] [email protected]

Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges | 07 Handy hint – control of lucerne flea in pastures

Adult lucerne fleas (Sminthurus Monitoring the development and spread viridis) may be only 3m long of these pests is important so that chemical applications can be timed to act on young and wingless but they can fleas that have not had a chance to breed. inflict considerable damage Systemic sprays can be used when damage on clovers, Lucerne, and other is first detected. The known predators cereals and crops. of this pest are unlikely to be an effective control measure on their own. A good They lay eggs which remain dormant over grazing regime coupled with sound weed summer and hatch during March–April. control of host plants should be adopted They tend to be a problem on loam/clay to avoid total reliance on chemicals. Adult lucerne fleas can inflict damage to pastures. soils but generally not on sandy soils. Photo: A. Weeks, CESAR

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SUBMISSION Things to do – Autumn INFORMATION

Before the opening rains: For comments, enquiries or • make plans for the coming season on weed control, fertiliser and liming strategies, submissions to Small Talk, pasture improvement and stock grazing management or for back issues contact: • monitor stock to ensure they maintain condition, particularly lactating animals, as Jodie Pain supplementary feeding may be necessary Sustainable Agriculture Officer • graze to reduce dry residues, while maintaining groundcover above 70% Natural Resources Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges • regularly check dams for salinity, algal blooms or low levels when stock may be affected Department of Environment, • control rabbits and foxes; seek advice from your local District Officer. Water and Natural Resources PO Box 781 Willunga SA 5172 After the break of the season: (08) 8550 3405 or 0400 294 676 • watch for insect attack in pastures, particularly Red-Legged Earth Mite and Lucerne Flea [email protected] • be prepared for early control of broadleaf weeds by spraying when these plants are small to allow for cheaper and more effective control. FIS 92060 | Printed on recycled paper using vegetable based inks.