ECOLOGICAL OUTCOME VERIFICATION REPORT

HUB

Australian Holistic Management Co-operative

LANDBASE

Cargo Road Wines

AREA (ha)

37 ha

VERIFIER

Ian Chapman

MONITORS AUTHOR

Ian Chapman

DATE

21st February 2023

1. Introduction

The results of the annual Ecological Outcomes Verification (EOV) of Cargo Road Wines farm, carried out on 21st February 2023, are presented. This is the fifth 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,’ ‘year 2,’ and ‘year 3.’ This monitoring event is regarded as ‘year 4’ of the EOV monitoring and verification cycle.

The methodology used corresponds to the EOV 3.0 protocol. Ten monitoring sites were included for Short-term monitoring (STM) this year (year 4). Baseline monitoring previously included four Short-term sites and one Long-term site (LTM), while subsequent years included ten Short-term sites (STMs).

Cargo Road Wines Monitoring Plan 2023

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 reflect ecosystem processes (water cycling, nutrient cycling, energy flow and community dynamics) that are beginning to approach 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 4’

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]

Landscape Function Analysis

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

Conclusions from Short-Term Monitoring

From the short-term monitoring conducted on 21st February 2023, it can be concluded that the ecosystem processes overall are functioning well All monitored paddocks scored within the “very high” range of >65, with one site scoring 105.

EHIs varied from +65 to +105, with a weighted average of +76.8. The live canopy abundance had the most limiting effect on the scores, while the forbes & legume functional group and bare soil indicators scored strongest.

● Water cycle was enhanced by the very good ground cover observed in most sites but limited a little by the abundance of litter.

● Mineral cycle was also enhanced by the very good ground cover and dung decomposition, while litter abundance and litter incorporation have room to improve. Invertebrate (Living organisms) presence was good.

● Energy flow was enhanced due to the lack of bare soil but limited by the lower live canopy abundance at some sites, reflecting recent grazing and vineyard slashing.

● Community dynamics were also good, with all four functional groups performing well. Cool season perennials while present were not to the reproduction phase given the time of season.

Short-term monitoring photos

Short-term monitoring photos (continued)

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Short-term monitoring photos (continued)

Short-term monitoring photos (continued)

Short-term monitoring photos (continued)

4. Short-Term Monitoring (STM) – Trend Analysis

Four Short-term monitoring sites were installed for the baseline in ‘year 0’ with an additional six sites added in ‘year 1’. The following section analyses the results of the ten STM sites comparing results for ‘year 4,’ ‘year 3,’ ‘year 2’ and ‘year 1’ and the four STM sites monitored in ‘year 0’. The initial STM sites were numbered STM 1 to STM 4.

Short-Term Monitoring (STM) – Comparative Results

The tables below show the EHI for each monitored year, 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. This data is then represented in respective bar graphs with a comparison based on 10 paddocks for years 1 and 2, and then with 4 paddocks for baseline

Table 5: EHI and LFA results 2019 (Year 0), 2020 (Year 1), 2021 (Year 2), 2022 (Year 3), and 2023 (Year 4)

2023 Comparison With Previous Years

LANDSCAPE FUNCTION ANALYSIS (Weighted) - 10 & 4 Pdk Comparison

Context for Comparative Results

The context for monitoring of Cargo Road Wines on 21st February 2023, is three years of much higher than average rainfall, which followed two years of much lower than average rainfall.

Average annual rainfall in the district for Cargo Road Wines is reported as 1174 mm. Locally reported rainfall at the landbase for 2022 was 1331, while 2021 was 1245 mm compared with 2020 of 1104 mm and 522 mm in 2019. In other words, rainfall for the previous three years was at least 224 mm above the longer-term average, following the drought years of 201819 where rainfall was up to 358 mm below the average.

The third year of very high rainfall produced some negative effects at some sites.