1. The Saltland Knowledge Exchange
Dr Nick Edwards
Senior Research Scientist, SARDI
Scientist
Leader, Saltland Knowledge Exchange

2. What is the Saltland Knowledge Exchange?
The extension arm for Saltland Systems outputs of the Future Farm
Industries CRC
(Nearly) the last ‘man’ standing in saltland extension in Australia
man
Making the saltland solutions we have accessible to landholders directly &
via ‘next users’
Consists of:
“Saltland Skills” training in saline agriculture
S ltl d L
Saltland Learning N t
i Network k
Conferences & workshops
Ongoing management of NDSP website and incorporation of content into Saltland Genie
“Saltland Genie™” website (www.saltlandgenie.org.au)
Delivery of new R & D from other Saltland Systems projects (e.g.
SaltCap, SaltDecide, Enhance, Understorey, Oldman Saltbush Breeding, Salt Tolerant Cereals)
2

3. Saltland Skills training
“Salinity Concepts” & “Salinity Management” course
Pilot run in South Australia in Oct 08 – targeted NRM staff and Landmark agronomists
Western Australian pilot run in Sept 09 – targeted catchment support advisors and
Saltland Pastures Association members
Further ‘courses’ in parts of WA in coming months
Delivery with on-line pre-course modules i conjunction with E T i
D li ith li d l in j ti ith EverTrain
- (pre-course refresher in own time/on-line assessment/everyone starts on ‘same page’)
Future:
Webinars from small number of experts to reduce reliance on their
ongoing input; also available on-line as revision
Support embedded in Saltland Genie website (for ongoing
access/updates/information)
3

4. Saltland Learning Network
Support for a few existing sites to extend SaltCap outside of WA (validate &
‘calibrate’ where saltland species grow)
Esp. f Tall Wheat Grass, Puccinellia, Balansa Clover, Woolly
for G C
Clover, Sea Barley Grass and Saltbush
Use e s g (SGS o o e ) s es that a eady have so e s e
existing (SGSL or other) sites a already a e some site
characterisation
Some extra site characterisation
S
Support for measurements in 2010 & 2011
tf t i
Site identified near Coomandook (has TWG, Pucci, various Saltbush
p , p , y , )
species, Samphire, Sea Barley Grass, …)
Demonstration of solutions for saltland where uptake currently poor
4

5. Conference, workshops, etc
Resurrect something like the “Productive Use and Rehabilitation of
Saline Lands” (PUR$L) conference/workshop series?
( ) p
or Saltland Pastures Competition?
Producer/practitioner focus (not aimed at scientists)
or explore more on-line interactivity (podcasts, webinars, etc)?
5

6. Maintenance and management of
M i t d t f
www.ndsp.gov.au
6

7. Interactive website aimed at landholders
AND YOUR ADVISORS
to help make the most of salt affected land
salt-affected
www.saltlandgenie.org.au
7

8. 8

9. Key FFI CRC Outputs
Output 4.4 – National Saltland Service Centre – providing a path to adoption
Saltland Genie website information delivery
Saltland Skill t i i
S ltl d Skills training course(s) i saline agriculture
( ) in li i lt
Delivery of new R & D from other Saltland Systems projects
Managing a Saltland Reference Group
Very strong website
Updating and adding to content
Strong training WA; interest from SA, Vic, NSW, Tasmania?
SaltCap sites (almost) – at last
Realign project outputs? (number of producers, number of hectares, profitability)
9