Overwhelmed by what to plant? Help is at hand

Basalt to Bay Landcare facilitator Lisette Mill, from Koroit, says the Woolsthorpe demonstration plot features trees native to the region, which can be used to improve productivity and aesthetics.

Ms Mill has been promoting the value of paddock trees and shelterbelts, which she says give farmers financial and productivity gains.

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"I still meet farmers who have never planted a tree in their lives, because they have never had to, as they bought properties that already have trees on them," Ms Mill said.

Farmers were often overwhelmed by the number of tree species they saw in the countryside and Ms MIll likened making a choice to trying out a new recipe.

"Say you've been watching MasterChef, and they come up with some ingredient, you've never cooked with," she said.

"MasterChef says you must use this ingredient, so you go to the supermarket and you stand there in the aisle, and there might be 15 choices, and you say 'which one do I use?"

"You have got so much choice; this is what I see when I talk to farmers who have never planted a tree before, the choice is overwhelming."

But farmers could come to the Woolsthorpe trial site, where there was information on all the species growing in the old railway siding.

"This demo site is based on that concept; someone can walk in, and say "I'm a sheep grazier from Hawkesdale, what can I plant?

"By visiting the site, they know exactly what they need to buy and exactly what it's going to look like, on the farm."

Landcare has planted two, 20 metres wide, 400m long demonstration plots at the site.

Ms Mill said Landcare was adding new species to the demonstration plot, over time as volunteers saw new plants and different mixes, for farmers to use in a number of conditions.

"When you have inherited, or bought, the land, you have never planted a tree, because you didn't need to, Ms Mill said.

"They've never planted a gumtree, as their expertise is not in trees, and they are looking for guidance about what to plant where."

The cypress trees, common to the region, were also starting to die off.

"The trial site is like an outdoor classroom, some of the teaching material is there, but if they want more, they can find out more by talking to me."

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