Kristy Hitchens

Field walk during The Perennial Question Boyup Brook event. Is it possible and profitable to establish and maintain perennial pastures in the South West of

https://youtu.be/psncROVoYE4 Images of white-bellied frog provided courtesy Perth Zoo and Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions. Project to save rare tiny frogs progressing in leaps

Confused by talk about new environmental terms like a Nature Repair Market and Nature Positive? Here’s some clear language from an expert.

Smooth marron (left) and hairy marron. Marron illustrations: © R.Swainston/anima.Fish Comments from South West NRM CEO Dr Manda Page in response to recent pledge by

Our contractors have been hard at work helping with our bold plan to rescue the critically-endangered, white-bellied frog.

*Submissions for this EOI have now closed. South West NRM (SWNRM) is seeking to commission an artist/s to develop an artwork to be used throughout

South West NRM was pleased to host Minister for Agriculture and Food the Hon. Jackie Jarvis for her announcement of a $3.2 million State Government investment toward six reforestation and two soil carbon projects

Could finding just the right mix in a species-diverse pasture provide feed 365 days-a-year and eliminate the dreaded summer-autumn feed gap altogether? That’s what Pasture365,

South West NRM is set to spring into a new phase of delivering positive environmental outcomes across the region with the appointment of a new

South West NRM is not just one environmental organisation working in isolation. We are also an Association of 11 non-profit groups spread right across the

Expert explainers on emerging buzz words, like Nature Positive, as Australia moves to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

Community members from across the South West region gathered for the final event in our series designed to build social resilience ahead of a predicated increase in drought.

Almost 12 months of community collaboration on better preparing South West communities for predicted increases in drought events will culminate at the CWA Hall in

South West NRM supports a national call issued this week for urgent recognition and greater, sustained funding of the critical work being done to restore

Photo by wildlife photographer Justin Cally. Article by Dr Manda Page Around the same time that I was listening to Cyndi Lauper and wearing leg

Photo by Wildlife Photographer Justin Cally. Article by: Dr Manda Page You might have heard the term ‘threatened species’ and other related descriptors for species

In the wake of the 2023/24 record-breaking dry season and resulting drastic feed shortages, as spring approaches, farmers are eager to ensure every bale they

When education and business consultant Briony Arnold was a child in the mid 1980s, her family suffered the devastating loss of their Mukinbudin wheat and

South West NRM is leading work in the region to future-proof farming following its appointment to the Australian Government’s national network of facilitators charged with supporting farmers to remain profitable as they transition to more sustainable practices.

Photos courtesy Voyager Estate Like many producers we know, the team at Voyager Estate, near Margaret River, know only too well the impact climate change

“Planting trees in unproductive areas of the farm is both good for the environment and for our mental health because these areas of land that

Photo credit: Justin Cally Wildlife Photographer. We’re getting behind our peak body and NRM Regions Australia which has welcomed release of the Blueprint to Repair

Conservation work to benefit the critically endangered western ringtail possum has arrested its decline, but helping them thrive again means creating more safe habitat, particularly within our urban environments.

For the first winter in 30 years, South West dairy farmer Jacqui Biddulph is not flat out rearing around 400 calves. Instead she’s pouring all

We’re celebrating OUR SOUTH WEST. All 4 million hectares of wildly diverse landscapes which make up our South West Natural Resource Management region. ‘Our South

South West NRM has been supporting Western Beef Association’s series of Recovery Chat events, delivered in response to the current dry season challenges. Guest speakers

South West Natural Resource Management has received $726,000 for delivery of two projects under the Australian’s Government’s Saving Native Species grants, announced today by Environment

We’ve won an Australian Government tender for supply of Environmental Protection, Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management services to the region. The South West’s peak

Farmers accessing rural financial counselling is key to ensuring greater community resilience in the face of increased drought events – according to farmer and small

Farmers battling with current feed shortages could benefit from using a free WA-made software program called Rumen8 to help stretch their hay further, according to

The Livestock Feed To assist with navigating challenges of the current dry season, WA producers are being invited to connect, share information and advertise available

As a global biodiversity hotspot, we know our South West region is a safe haven for a range of native fauna which are at risk

South West NRM has supported its move toward scaling up work with industry, government, community and landholders by appointing new CEO Dr Manda Page who

https://youtu.be/7kIBRVVXtGE?si=Ma2i6aae2FEdFHX0https://youtu.be/zDsE-XkvSTI?si=UxzPzMnFG4b4cTuI More than two decades ago, Joy decided to build a big fence around a section of her Margaret River lifestyle property to keep out

Drought and support for our farmers is in the headlines as they navigate one of the driest autumns so far on record. (Read ABC article

New research by University of WA on critically endangered western ringtail possums suggests populations are moving further south as they adapt to climate change. With

Farmers battling current drought-related feed shortages will be tempted to put hungry livestock straight onto emerging green shoots following the first autumn rains. But our

When former Boyup Brook school teacher Renee Knapp came up with a creative new idea for addressing the ever-increasing number of students she was seeing

Constant learning key to survival as conditions dry Serpentine-Jarrahdale beef farmer Mark Thomas said back in December he’d had a really bad season.  And that

Article by Peter Clifton, Sustainable Agriculture Manager Improved early season pasture establishment, animal condition and feed usage were among the benefits Vasse beef producer Brodie

Add your voice! The Australian Government has charged South West NRM with the responsibility of ensuring nature on public and privately owned land in our

Farmers can improve clover productivity by about 23 per cent if they learn how to effectively manage and reduce root disease, according to UWA Professor

Article by Sustainable Agriculture Manager Peter Clifton Chemical residues from pre-emergent herbicides can be a major issue for future crop growth but the key to

Shocking season finish highlights risk of complacency Take Home Messages: Don’t be complacent. Always be prepared for dry seasons. Make your decisions early. Be awake

A sheep farmer who recovered after his mental health “hit rock bottom” leading him to become an advocate on the importance of connecting rural communities,

Stella Bella Wines in Margaret River are committed to sustainability and regenerative farming practices at their Rosa Brook property but now they are looking to

A year-long farming project by South West NRM has revealed clear benefits of a sustainable approach to growing pasture, highlighting that environmentally friendly systems can

Ruth McGregor runs a dryland dairy enterprise on 320 hectares near Busselton. She’s farmed in Busselton for 26 years – 16 years have been at

https://southwestnrm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Social-impact-of-drought-7news-segment.mp4 Drought months in the South West are expected to increase by up to 80 per cent in the next 50 years, according to the

Soil type: Duplex soils 30-year Annual Rainfall: 578 mm Landscape: Low hills, slopes 5%.   Enterprises: Sheep and cropping Martin Bleechmore is a mixed farmer

South West NRM recently welcomed a new addition to its Board along with a new staff member as well. Dr Natasha TeakleBoard Member Natasha is

https://southwestnrm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/TREES.mp4 Enactment this week of the State Government’s ban on native forest logging in WA, aimed at preserving about 400,000 additional hectares of karri, jarrah

Who is the Minister for Food in your house? The one who cooks, plans the weekly menu,shops for the groceries? Apparently we could soon have

Building resilience to drought – Beef producer and orchardist James Scott With WA having its driest October on record in 2023, it’s been one of

Passage of new legislation through Federal Parliament this month that will enable farmers (and other businesses) to profit from increasing biodiversity on their land was

Providing local farmers with the critical learning and support they need for successful transition to new more sustainable and environmentally beneficial practices is the aim of a

South West NRM and its Association Members have added their collective voices to objections by other WA environment leaders over a State Government proposal to

Could we love the dirt beneath our feet like we love our critically endangered western ringtail possums or soaring old growth forests? It might not

South West NRM joined a group of about 30 stakeholders in Perth last week to provide input on the Federal Government’s current review of its

Vital projects to conserve and enhance the local environment will be delivered by member organisations of South West NRM, the region’s peak environmental Association, due

South West NRM is launching a new project designed to connect communities ahead of a predicted increase in drought events. Amidst growing awareness of the

While the Rottnest Island quokkas have become WA’s international tourist icon, gaining attention as the subject of various celebrity selfies shared the world over, few

Western Australia has just recorded its driest October on record, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. And that follows our warmest winter on record in

‘Collaborate-Innovate- Advocate’ was the catch-cry of the day when all of our Member organisations gathered at Roelands Village this week for the AGM. You see,

South West NRM Program Manager Sustainable Agriculture Peter Clifton and Kalgup host farmer Annette Battley from check out evidence of microbial activity on the buried

Committed volunteer possum counters across the South West and Peel Regions have spent a total of 2,559 night hours over the past eight years recording

Helping 19 private landowners ensure the long-term protection and conservation of significant natural treasures found on their properties is the aim of work being undertaken

More than 90 per cent of the food Australians consume is produced domestically so it is imperative that as the agricultural industry works to reduce

South West NRM is working to connect farmers with a free new digital product designed to help them prepare for future climate conditions by developing strong awareness

Significant and recent technology advances in equipment used to monitor soil moisture levels and the resulting economic benefits to farmersthrough more efficient use of irrigation,

It’s critical that we address the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation by 2030. To achieve this we’re scaling up our work

Farmers who joined in a spring field trip to explore pasture trial sites in the Geographe Catchment came away with a deeper understanding about the

A South West NRM project designed to reduce community harm caused by the potentially-crippling social impacts of drought has attracted an $86,935 grant from the

Farmers are invited to join a free bus tour exploring the latest pasture trial sites in the Geographe Catchment on Thursday 21 September, from 9.30

Few people know more about making hay and silage than NSW consultant, Neil Griffiths. On a rare visit to Western Australia, the co-author of the

Four groups of farmers are going head-to-head in South West NRM’s Pasture Challenge, testing agronomic packages to overcome soil constraints and increase productivity on a

Lera Bennell and Les Wallam of Roelands Village came together with a local farmer last month to discuss the history and cultural significance of the

In exciting news for one of the region’s threatened species, recently active malleefowl mounds have been found in the eastern Wheatbelt for the first time

Busselton’s Oscar and Ivy Hair Co put down their scissors and got their hands dirty this weekend, joining South West NRM and Busselton-Dunsborough Environment Centre

Low disturbance sub-soiler demonstrated at the Pasture Challenge Field Walk Local farmers were surprised to see the performance of a liming treatment at the Pasture

Kirsty Want presenting at Managing Your Carbon Footprint event in Donnybrook With agricultural supply chains focused on becoming carbon neutral by 2030 (CN30), farmers are

South West NRM is a proud sponsor of the Regenerative Agriculture Conference 2023 being held in Margaret River this September.  A down to earth conference

South West Catchments Council (SWCC), the region’s peak natural resource management organisation, is today relaunching as ‘South West NRM’. The not-for-profit is reinvigorating its mission

Native vegetation can assist farm productivity by supporting canola pollinators and predators of aphids and caterpillars. That was the key take-home message from the ‘Building

Producers have taken up South West NRM’s ‘Pasture Challenge’ by designing trials to overcome productivity constraints on a paddock near Busselton. A range of soil

To celebrate World Wildlife Day on 3 March, South West NRM is donating copies of a new book called ‘No Place Like Home’ by Meredith

Following the success of two recent cat enclosure rebates in the Bunbury and Geographe Bay regions, South West NRM is teaming up with GeoCatch and SAFE Bunbury

Critically endangered western ringtail possums will be able to travel safely across Cape Naturaliste Drive in Dunsborough, thanks to a new ropebridge being installed today

https://youtu.be/3MFl-yTKn68?si=H4xLeq-ALZPhXK22 South West NRM is using innovative environmental DNA, or ‘eDNA’, technology to help protect the critically endangered Margaret River burrowing crayfish, known to exist

https://youtu.be/Ntss6oDtnxU?si=G0YH6yRmN6qxkUE9 Food production systems are facing unprecedented pressure from climate change, loss of arable land, new pests and diseases, and a decline in pollinator species