More than 20 people, including Minister Alannah MacTiernan, came along to our recent SWARM Carbon Tool workshop in Wickepin.
A passionate advocate of carbon farming, the Minister for Regional Development and Agriculture and Food was very interested in Dr Jolene Otway’s presentation of her SWARM carbon mapping tool. She then went on to talk about the carbon farming opportunities currently available and the WA Government’s commitment to supporting primary industries in reducing the carbon footprint.
Project Officer, Bonny Dunlop-Heague, was very impressed by the Minister’s enthusiasm for soil carbon, “The Hon. Alannah MacTiernan is obviously passionate about carbon sequestration. It was inspiring to hear her talk about the subject in an agricultural context.”
Bonny goes on to say, “She was also keen to meet local farmers and hear about the improvement practices being undertaken on their own farms. That level of engagement was well received by participants. We really enjoyed having her there.”
The workshop, which provided a detailed walkthrough of the SWARM tool and its practical application in estimating soil carbon at the paddock scale, was also well received by attendees. The feedback received overwhelmingly praised Jolene’s in-depth, yet easy-to-follow, coverage of the topic.
SWARM will soon be made publicly available for non-commercial use with instruction manuals and videos to help farmers in the South West accurately estimate soil carbon levels without the need for soil testing. The Tool is currently geographically limited to the South West but can be expanded to cover any regions with further work.
This project is led by Wheatbelt NRM in partnership with UWA. It is supported by the Wheatbelt Development Commission and Royalties for Regions.