South West Agroforestry Network Field Day – Karri forest, timber trees and shittake

The South West Agroforestry Network (SWAN) Field Day will be held in Pemberton on Saturday, 5 May 2018.

The day will cover a diversity of topics including the challenges of finding markets for thinning from privately owned karri forest; fuel reduction in karri; short presentations on the Forests for Life proposal; 30 year old eucalyptus planted for timber and using eucalypt coppice for growing shittake mushrooms.

Program:

9.30am – Registrations and morning tea at Mountford Winery, Bamass Rd (off Channybearup Rd)

10.00am – Inspect Andrew and Sue Mountford’s karri forest and discuss management issues, especially the need for a commercial thinning and the intention of reducing fuel for fire protection.

12.00 noon – Lunch at Big Brook Dam

12.45pm – Short presentations:

• Update on WA Forest Alliance’s “Forests for Life” proposal – Jess Beckerling
• Warren Catchment’s Council – who they are and what they do – presenter tbc
• Southern Forests Food Council – presenter tbc

1.30pm – Depart for Julian Sharp’s property, Hawke Rd (off Old Vasse Hwy)

2.00pm – Inspect Julian’s eucalypts for timber which date from the 1980s and his more recent venture using eucalypt thinnings to grow Shittake mushrooms.

3.30pm – Wrap up

RSVP before 30 April 2018.