A SEMINAR that will look at how to regenerate blue gum land back in to productive pasture has created huge interest.
The full-day seminar to be held tomorrow (Thursday) at Macarthur has already seen 160 people booked to attend.
The Beyond Bluegums seminar is being hosted by the Grassland Society of Southern Australia's Western District branch.
Branch President Dr Steve Cotton there was a lot of interest in the future of blue gum land in the region.
"It is a topical and relevant issue as a lot of blue gum land leases are coming close to expiring," Dr Cotton said.
"It will be up to individual farmer preference about what happens with the land.
"Landholders have the option to renew their leases, plant replacement trees or turn the land back to pasture."
He said the society wanted to host an event where the various options could be discussed from the grassland perspective.
Adrian Marti from Australian Blue gum Plantations will discuss the various methods and costs of stump removal, and agronomist James Stewart from Vickery Bros in Coleraine will discuss nutrient requirements and productive pastures
A bus tour will show stump removal in action at Macarthur and visit Phil Gough's property at Hotspur and Ian and Barb Jefferies' property at Hotspur.
Dr Cotton said there were substantial parcels of blue gum land potentially becoming available for other uses, including one recently advertised site of about 2000ha.
The seminar is at the Macarthur Hall from 10am.
Buses depart Hamilton from Coles car park for Macarthur at 9.30am and return to Hamilton at 5pm.
Details: Steve Cotton 0447 352 321
