Download biodiversity and cotton

IMAGE: JULIE REARDON
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Around 42% of an average cotton farm area is
dedicated to native vegetation (source: Australian
Grown Cotton Sustainability Report, 2014)
63% of farms have a riparian zone ranging between
2 and 15 km in length (on average 7 km) (source:
2011 Cotton Grower Survey, CRDC/Cotton CRC)
70% of cotton growers have river frontage and 75%
of growers are actively managing their riparian
zones (source: 2011 Cotton Grower Survey,
CRDC/Cotton CRC)
Nearly one third of all Australian bird species are
found in cotton growing regions
BIODIVERSITY
AND COTTON
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms found in an
environment including animals, plants, bacteria, fungi and
micro-organisms
Managing biodiversity and natural resources surrounding cotton
farms provides benefits to the environment and to the farm.
Growers use natural resources to help manage pests naturally
and to store carbon in the soil and vegetation
The Australian cotton industry is committed to the careful and
responsible management the natural environment
The industry works with research organisations, catchment
management authorities, regional natural resource management
organisations and groups such as Landcare, to play its part in
responsible landscape management
The Australian cotton industry undertakes work to better
understand vegetation on cotton farms - both the ecosystem
services it provides such as carbon storage, erosion control,
natural pest control and biodiversity value; as well as how the
industry can improve the management practices of riparian lands
to contribute towards their health
myBMP (best management practices), the cotton industry’s
environmental management program, helps growers to manage
the natural environment
Independent assessments have shown that Australian cotton
growers have improved soil, and native vegetation management
which is contributing to improved biodiversity
Largely due to best management practices from growers,
Australian cotton farms contain vibrant, active ecosystems where
both nature and cotton production can happily thrive
IMAGE: GUY ROTH
BIODIVERSITY
AND COTTON
Plants
Around 42% of an average cotton farm area is dedicated to
native vegetation (source: Australian Grown Cotton Sustainability
Report, 2014)
63% of farms have a riparian zone ranging between 2 and 15 km
in length (on average 7 km) (source: 2011 Cotton Grower Survey,
CRDC and Cotton CRC)
70% of cotton growers have river frontage and 75% of growers
are actively managing their riparian zones (source: 2011 Cotton
Grower Survey, CRDC and Cotton CRC)
Healthy, intact native vegetation provides important buffer zones,
harbours beneficial insects and nature’s pest controllers (birds
and bats), reduces soil erosion and helps keep waterways
healthy
Connecting remnant vegetation and replanting native species
can help improve biodiversity by extending habitat and providing
natural corridors for animals to move along
Well managed native pastures are not only excellent for cattle
feed and are relatively drought tolerant, but help improve
biodiversity such as bird life on cotton farms
Native vegetation provides windbreaks that reduce soil erosion
and act as a buffer to the application of sprays such as herbicides
Leaving standing and fallen dead timber, rocks and understorey
shrubs provides habitats for native plants and animals
Sowing small areas of local native grasses as a nursery for
seed collection allows restoration if necessary, on other areas of
the farm
Practices used by cotton growers to manage riparian areas on
their farms include:
Fencing and selectively grazing
Excluding grazing
Control of weeds and pests
Provision of alternative water points for stock
Maintaining filter, buffer strips of vegetation
Planting native trees and other vegetation
(source: The Australian Cotton Water Story, 2012)
© Cotton Australia 2016. This material is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0
International License (CC BY CC BY-NC 4)
Animals
Bats, birds, ants, wasps and other predatory insects are a cotton
grower’s natural workforce against pests that attack cotton
plants. Growers encourage beneficial insects and predator pests
into cotton crops as part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
systems reducing pesticides and encouraging natural eradication
Native animals living in healthy native vegetation help keep the
right balance of pests and predators
Nearly one third of all Australian bird species are found in
cotton growing regions. 153 bird species were found in natural
vegetation in the Namoi Valley, a major cotton growing region in
NSW. A bird study of 19 water storages on nine cotton farms in
the Gwydir Valley recorded 42,495 birds representing 45 different
species, including many of conservation significance
450 species of invertebrates have been recorded in 1 cotton field
Cotton growers participate in feral pest control programs to
protect native plants and animals as well flora and fauna
monitoring such as recording animal tracks, diggings, footprints,
scat, chewed bark, nests, spider webs and bird calls
Soils
Australian soils are often described as ancient, highly weathered
and infertile. Cotton is grown on floodplains where the soils are
younger and more fertile than most Australian soils. The major
soil types on which cotton is grown are grey, brown and black
Vertosols (around 75 percent), that are naturally fertile, have high
clay content and strong shrink-swell capacities
Soil that is full of nutrients and organic matter and that can store
moisture grow better, higher yielding crops, contribute to water
use efficiency and break down residual herbicides faster
Many cotton growers are using minimum or no till farming
systems (where the soil is not ploughed, and stubble is retained
and planted into) which has seen dramatic improvements in soil
health, retaining moisture and nutrients, and a reduction in diesel
fuel usage (hence carbon emissions)
Cotton is grown in rotation with other crops (wheat, chickpeas
and sunflowers) to increase nutrient levels in soil and are
sometimes left ‘fallow’, allowing a natural build-up of nutrients
Many cotton farmers use organic fertilisers (chicken and feed lot
manures), and some are experimenting with bio-solids
myBMP (Best Management Practices) helps growers to manage
the soil health and nutrition management