Assessing
the benefits
A team of Deakin researchers based at Warrnambool has received a grant from the prestigious Geoffrey Gardiner Dairy Foundation to assess the potential economic and social impacts on dairy farming communities of the spread of plantation forests.
The team is Associate Professor Kevin O’Toole, Dr Monica Keneley and Dr Margaret McKenzie.
“This is a pretty unique grant for
the Gardiner Foundation and one for which we are very grateful,”
Professor O’Toole said (seen photographed above (middle) at a reception
with Professor David Stokes (right),
DVC Research,and Dr Margaret McKenzie (left).
“Usually they are looking at the science of dairy rather than policy and social issues but this has become a very hot issue, something we became aware of because our Warrnambool campus is positioned close both to industries in South West Victoria and also to the local communities.
“Plantation forestry has generally been established in broad acre farming areas in the far west of the State.
“Now though, there are a number of dairy farms being transformed into farm plantations and timber companies are actively seeking more land.
“Communities have a lot of concerns about the loss of dairy farm families which they claim could lead to the contraction of local economies, the withdrawal of services, a decline in infrastructure and populations and a decrease in the level of social interaction.”
Because of these concerns, in addition to the Gardiner Foundation - a longstanding supporter of the dairy industry - three other groups have also committed funds to the study – the Corangamite Shire Council and the Corangamite and Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authorities.
“It’s an important issue for these organisations as well,” Professor O’Toole said. “Our team of researchers makes no judgement either way about these industries at this stage. We are just aware of community concerns and want to assess them.
“With the $50,000 we have received from the Gardiner Foundation and the $15,000 from the other three bodies, what we are hoping to do is to examine the two industries and see what impact they have on their local communities.
“It’s something that’s not done very often, comparing two industries in this way. Usually reviews are carried out on one industry at a time.
“There are claims that the wood industries do offer benefits to the communities in the way the dairy industry has done for so long, and we want to test that proposition and better understand the impact of the changes, and not just on local communities.
“For instance, there could be a change to Victoria’s export income. About 90 per cent of the milk produced in this State is exported.
“Is that the same with wood products? We don’t know.
“Another reason the project is unique is that it specifically seeks to gauge the extent to which the change in land use impacts on local economic and community profiles.
“To date there have been no other studies of plantation forestry that have explicitly targeted dairy areas in Australia.
“No comparative analysis of the two alternative forms of land use has been undertaken and therefore planning at the farm enterprise, local government and industry levels is confronted by conflicting perceptions.
“Doing this economic and social analysis is a very important part of the broader role Deakin is playing in understanding the impact these changes are having in a whole range of areas in the South West.
“Our research also fits in well with the work that Professor John Sherwood, who is also based in Warrnambool, is doing researching water and land use issues as industries change.”
The Deakin researchers are confident the outcome of their work will lead to the development of a model of analysis that can be applied to other districts that are yet to experience similar land use changes.
The Gardiner Foundation is named in honour of Geoffrey Gardiner, a prominent dairy industry leader who died in 1999.
The Foundation, formed in 2001, has assets of $60 million and its purpose is to find projects that benefit the dairy industry and communities.
Further information can be found at: www.gardinerfoundation.com.au