QBE HELPS SEED THE FUTURE

GOING BEYOND

QBE HELPS SEED THE FUTURE

Trees For Life has always had a practical approach to bringing about change. Blending the best of modern science with existing knowledge, testing new approaches and working with partners and landholders is essential in our journey towards climate resilience.

In 2021, we released our Climate

Change Resilience Strategy; it identifies priority actions and directions on how we intend to tackle the challenges of climate change. Climate proofing vegetation is one of the key themes outlined in the strategy. Of great concern is the impact of seed availability which poses increasing risks for the establishment and survival of direct seeding projects. It is crucial that we learn to do more with less.

Understanding that innovation will be key to success, the Direct Seeding team has developed a project to investigate and trial new technologies and methods to increase effectiveness and resilience.

Through a grant of $25,000, the QBE

Foundation local grant program is helping Trees For Life by supporting the first stage of this exciting new research project — allowing us to undertake the necessary trials by developing a new Direct

Seeding machine.

"QBE is committed to helping communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change," says QBE Foundation Co-Chair, Jon Fox. "That’s why we were all so excited about the work Trees For Life is doing."

Trees For Life CEO, Natasha Davis, says the Direct Seeding trials are critical to help understand how we approach large revegetation projects in a changing climate. "We have had a few very hot summers," says Natasha. "And that means there’s a lot of variability in the seed that is available. For core species we need for vital revegetation projects, particularly the acacias and eucalypts, there were whole seasons when they simply weren’t available. And then the cycle continues — because we have less vegetation and then even less seed."

Direct Seeding Manager David Hein will lead the project, drawing on his extensive background in farming and decades of knowledge gained in the field. The QBE Foundation local grant will go towards the research and development of David’s innovative project. This includes staff time to develop ideas, as well as fund the cost of building the machine and key trial runs. David has already begun the lengthy process of developing the Intermittent Seed Box and establishing the trial sites.

“We have found our three trial sites, a less than 350 mm rainfall area, 400 mm rainfall area and a 600 mm rainfall area,” says David. “We’ve also established how we will conduct trials and separate our seed — in the past we used to have a mixture of many species in two separate boxes but now we will be utilising seven separate boxes for each species”

By separating the species and refining the calibration to increase the efficiency and accuracy with which they enter the soil, David aims to maximise the use of seed and provide more opportunities for growth.

As with all pioneering efforts it will require skill, time and patience. We’re grateful to the QBE Foundation for supporting this project to help our team continue to deliver successful large-scale revegetation projects. Going beyond allows us to discover new and exciting possibilities for the future. 