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Grazing Trial Infrastructure established on Billa Kalina Spring

Location of Billa Kalina Spring

The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Desert Jewels project, as referred to in the previous item, has also resulted in the establishment of fencing around a mound spring on Billa Kalina Station for the purpose of a grazing trial. DEWNR provided the fencing materials and Billa Kalina lessee Colin Greenfield has now completed the fencing work. In effect this will enable three grazing scenarios to be assessed:

  • Cattle will be permanently excluded from the spring vent and its immediate environs;
  • Another larger area including part of the spring tail is fenced but cattle will be allowed to graze this area from time to time;
  • Another section of the spring tail is outside of the fencing and thus will be permanently available for gazing by

During 2016, FOMS members Bren and Elizabeth Lay and Bernice Cohen collected vegetation data at the site and established photopoints prior to the fencing. In May 2017, FOMS members Bruce Gotch, Colin Harris and Simon Lewis inspected the completed fencing work and took the photographs included below.

It is expected that the actual grazing regimes to be applied within the trial area will be the subject of discussion between DEWNR and the pastoral lessee. FOMS may have some involvement in this and may assist with vegetation monitoring.

Section of spring tail to be periodically grazed
Protected spring pool
Indicative fence lay-out at Billa Kalina Spring: vent (small red enclosure) permanently protected; part of spring tail to be periodically grazed; part of tail outside of fence and open to grazing

Grazing Trial to be conducted at Billa Kalina

As can be seen from the photo, the spring has a fairly uniform coverage of low sedges, in this case the bore-drain sedge Cyperus laevigatus. There are currently no reeds, Phragmites, at the site.

The Desert Jewels project conducted by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) covers many aspects of mound springs management, some of which are described in other items in this newsletter. One particular area of interest is the effect of controlled or pulse grazing on mound springs. Following consultation between DEWNR and FOMS personnel and Colin Greenfield at Billa Kalina Station, a spring is to be fenced on Billa Kalina in a configuration that will allow controlled grazing in part of the fenced area and complete exclusion of stock in another section. Another part of the spring wetland will be permanently open to grazing so, in effect, there will be three management regimes to monitor at the spring.

During FOMS’ trip to the mound springs in July 2016. Brendan and Elizabeth Lay and Bernice Cohen visited Billa Kalina. They met with Colin Greenfield to discuss arrangements for the fencing, then drove on to the spring to be fenced to check the alignment for the fencing and to collect baseline vegetation data. The data will provide a useful comparison for future measurements when the fencing is in place.

Ongoing consultation with Colin Greenfield will be needed to keep records of grazing patterns around the spring and within the exclosure which will be stocked from time to time.

As can be seen from the photo, the spring has a fairly uniform coverage of low sedges, in this case the bore-drain sedge Cyperus laevigatus. There are currently no reeds, Phragmites, at the site.

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