Surviving the deluge

Nothing to see here - and that’s the point!

New Integrated Orchard Management techniques to reduce erosion are proving the key to disaster resilience in the macadamia industry after withstanding the extreme rainfall event of February /March this year.

The photo above was taken after torrential rain at McLeans Ridges, north west of Ballina on the NSW north coast. More than 500 mm fell over three days in February, followed by a further 650 mm over four days in late March.

Despite the intense rainfall, no erosion is evident, with run-off water staying clean due to the application of Integrated Orchard Management techniques on the property creating 100 percent living groundcover on the orchard floor.

Craig Parrish from Roseville Macadamias manages the orchard using the new erosion prevention techniques developed by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in collaboration with the Australian Macadamia Society.

In 2018, the CCC Erosion Control Incentives program helped fund the installation of Integrated Orchard Management techniques through mapping and excavation of new drainage lines at Mr Parrish’s property near Wollongbar.

“The drains, and the orchard itself, require ongoing maintenance to keep the system efficiently directing excess water across the orchard floor, and to ensure that water flows out of the orchard at the other end in a clean state,” he said.

Jeremy Bright, member of the Department for Primary Industry’s Clean Coastal Catchments responsible for Integrated Orchard Management. He said the Integrated Orchard Management approach is becoming increasingly popular amongst NSW Macadamia growers as it keeps fertile topsoil on orchards where it is needed most .

“Even with extreme rainfall, the grass successfully binds the soil and prevents erosion, stopping valuable top soil from being washed away,” explained NSW DPI Macadamia Development Officer Jeremy Bright.

The increase in the frequency of natural disasters occurring on the NSW north coast, means that this type of management, and the research and development that underpins it, will become more and more important.

The Clean Coastal Catchments project is delivered by NSW DPI and funded by the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy.

The Clean Coastal Catchments project works with growers to keep sediment and nutrients on farm and out of coastal waterways while supporting profitable and sustainable agriculture.

Read more about the success of IOM techniques in reducing orchard erosion on the CCC website.