2008 Australian Rangelands Conference, Charters Towers

Alan Lauder and Neale Price co-authored a paper, which was delivered at the 2008 Australian Rangelands Conference, Charters Towers as a poster paper.

The paper was entitled "Is Pasture Rest Time or Timing?" which concluded that: -

Carbon Grazing, which is four to six weeks of rest after plant growing rain, achieves the following outcomes:-

1) Spells all plant species for greater health and increased production;

2) Promotes plant regeneration in favourable years;

3) Increases soil fertility and its ability to absorb and hold water;

4) Postpones drought;

5) Maximises profit; and

6) Contributes to carbon sequestration and methane reduction and all the other environmental issues like water quality, salinity, erosion, biodiversity, acid soils and estuary health.

Carbon management has always been important, but with climate change, it is going to be even more important. It is increased carbon that provides the landscape with increased resilience. The bulk of the carbon enters the landscape in the short period following rain. It is ironic that climate change is going to make us focus on what we always needed to do to run a successful rural operation, "manage carbon better".

Carbon Grazing® is the unification of all the carbon processes. Therefore the only logical conclusion is that the time to prepare for drought and a more sustainable world is the period immediately after rainfall. This is why pasture rest is TIMING not TIME."

Click on the links for a copy of the Carbon Grazing paper or a copy of the Carbon Grazing poster.