ECOLOGICAL OUTCOME VERIFICATION REPORT

HUB

Australian Holistic Management Cooperative

LANDBASE

Cargo Road Wines

AREA (ha)

37 VERIFIER

Ian Chapman

AUTHOR

Ian Chapman

DATE

10th March 2021

1. Introduction

The results of the annual Ecological Outcomes Verification (EOV) of Cargo Road Wines farm, carried out on 10th March 2021, are presented. This is the third year of monitoring for the land base. Baseline monitoring was previously carried out in ‘year 0’ and followed up with annual monitoring in ‘year 1’. This monitoring event is regarded as ‘year 2’ of the EOV monitoring and verification cycle.

The methodology used corresponds to the EOV 2.2 protocol. Ten monitoring sites were included for Short-Term in this year (year 2). Baseline monitoring previously (year 0) included four Short-Term sites (STM) and one for LongTerm site (LTM), while year 1 included ten Short-Term sites (STMs).

2. Short-Term Monitoring - Ecological Health Index (EHI)

An EHI evaluation was carried out of the landbase.

Ecosystem function is assessed through the Ecological Health Index (EHI). For this purpose, biological indicators are used according to an evaluation matrix that is adapted to each ecological region. The EHI provides a robust and practical measure of the health of ecosystem processes on agricultural production land (water cycle, nutrient cycle, energy flow and community dynamics) [Xu S et al 2019].

Each indicator receives a score according to the degree of departure from the ecological area potential. The values are added together to obtain a total score at each sampling site. The possible values range from +130 to -140. These quantified variables are surveyed in the field and then processed and weighted to obtain a value per paddock, and a weighted average for the farm. Values above 30 points in non-brittle environments and 15 in brittle ones reflect ecosystem processes (water cycling, nutrient cycling, energy flow and community dynamics) that are reasonably close to the potential of the site. Negative values indicate that ecosystem processes are ineffective, and far from the site's potential.

Cargo Road Wines is situated in a brittle tending environment.

3. Short-Term Monitoring Results – ‘Year 2’

EHI Landscape Function Analysis

The table below shows the EHI for each of the Short-Term Monitoring sites, along with an index for each of the ecosystem processes. The combination of indicators used for each ecosystem process can be found in Appendix A.

The second table shows the overall EHI, and the Landscape Function Analysis, weighted according to the area of each of the paddocks where the STM sites are located.

This data is then represented in respective bar graphs.

[Xu Sutie, et al, 2019, Ecological Health Index: A Short Term Monitoring Method for Land Managers to Assess Grazing Lands Ecological Health, Environments 2019, 6, 67, www.mdpi.com/journal/environments]

EHI (Ecological Health Index) Interpretation Guide

High to extreme departure from Ecoregion potential. Land degradation active. Ecosystem processes disrupted.

Moderate departure from ecoregion potential. Ecosystem processes affected.

Light to moderate departure from Ecoregion potential. Most ecosystem processes perform above 60% of potential

Light departure from Ecoregion potential. Effective ecosystem processes - healthy land.

Ecosystem Function Analysis