THE DIRT Issue 1 | Page 26

Workshop gets farm mappers started GRAZIER SUPPORT DC hosted a one-day FarmMap4D L landholders workshop for graziers in March, providing with the knowledge, skills and tools to map, plan, analyse and monitor their property infrastructure, land resources and groundcover. The web-based tool combines geospatial mapping technologies with time-series ground cover satellite imagery to analyse grazing pressure and land condition, to help land managers make more informed decisions. FarmMap4D allows landholders to produce customised maps of their property, audit on- farm infrastructure, plan grazing regimes and estimate long-term safe carrying capacity. This includes being able to plan fences and manage water resources effectively such as being able to calculate how much wire is needed to fence a new paddock or how much pipeline is required to pump water from a new dam to a water trough. Graziers can also analyse seasonal trends in groundcover within a paddock or an entire property to assess land condition and the impacts of management and investment decisions. FarmMap4D is seen as the most relevant mapping product for graziers in the State, although understanding and using the tool can take quite a bit of training and time. Landholders interested in using FarmMap4D who were unable to attend the March workshop can contact Rodger Walker on 0408 828 276. P26 | ISSUE 1, April, 2018