Image Courtesy of The National Gallery of Victoria
Building Bridges
The Future for Natural Sequence Farming
This email will be sent to all those registered on the NSF
site by 30 June 2006.
The above image is a painting by the great Australian artist,
Grace Cossington-Smith, of the building of the Sydney Harbour
Bridge. It symbolises the tremendous vision of John JC Bradfield,
to construct and build this great link over waters that divided
the city of Sydney. Bradfield fought tooth and nail with governments,
royals, and bureaucracies etc., to achieve this lasting legacy.
Bradfield’s achievement was nation building...it not only
bought the north and south of Sydney together but during the
most severe depression it bought together a nation and gave
it hope for the future.
And now 75 years after the bridge opening, during the longest
and worst recorded drought in living memory, Peter Andrews has
been battling to bring hope for a sustainable future for all
Australians. As Cossington-Smith saw the bridge as an engineering
feat in 1926, it was far more important as a symbol hope for
Australia and her citizens. Today, Peter Andrews is bringing
us the awareness and knowledge of the processes that can restore
our detiorating environment and sustain us as a nation into
the future. Peter is the keystone in linking all the key stakeholders
together. We are not there yet, but just as the image shows,
there are still links to be joined...so too is Peter aware of
this and he and all of his supporters need to see the completion
of that bridge for all future Australians.
Since the loss of Garry Reynolds, Executive Officer of NSF,
in June of last year these updates have gone very quite. Now
in my new role as Peter Andrews personal assistant I hope to
be able to bring that same vitality back to this website to
inform, update and collaborate and to build bridges with all
the stakeholders interested in Peter Andrews Natural Sequence
Farming.
One of the very first things I would like to do is to acknowledge
the untiring and groundbreaking work Garry Reynolds did in his
12 months tenure. He was able to use all his skills in bringing
together a whole range of people and lift the awareness of NSF
to a new level in government, industry and private areas. In
his first day on the job he had over 3000 emails to reply to,
following on from the enormous interest created in Peter Andrews
by the ABC program, Australian Story. Acknowledgement, too,
of the help given by Gerry Harvey in funding this work done
by Garry, while on leave from the Commonwealth Government.
There have been some exciting developments occurring since
our last update. Last year an International Workshop was held
in Bungendore NSW to discuss ‘Natural Sequence Farming-Defining
the Science and the Practice’. Southern Rivers CMA, the
Australian Government, Landcare Australia, Toshiba, ABC Books
and Ricoh sponsored the workshop. Scientists from Germany, Czechoslovakia,
New Zealand and Australia as well as NSF practioners, farmers,
regulators and bureaucrats attended the two-day workshop. Overwhelmingly,
the scientific evidence strongly supported much of the work
that Peter has been doing over the last 30 years. Their findings
are soon to be released in the NSF Workshop Proceedings. They
will be posted on this website.
Peter’s book, ‘Back from the Brink; How Australia’s
landscape can be saved’, published by ABC Books, was launched
last year in November at the NSF Workshop. It has been selling
up a storm and it is now into it’s 5th or 6th Printing,
appearing as No2 on the Top 10 best sellers of ABC Books. And
the reviews from people who have read the book have been overwhelmingly
supportive. Whilst, the book gives a descriptive illustration
of how our unique landscape functions it will rely on the efforts
of others to give the prescriptive example on how to implement
Peter’s principles. One such group which will help to
this end is mentioned below
Recently, the establishment of a legal entity has further supported
Peter Andrews for NSF calling itself the Natural Sequence Association.
A national body of the NS Association will have its formal announcement
made at a field day at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms on May 5th
2007. Peter Andrews will be in attendance and the day is open
to all. (…See Field Days in the nsfarming.com Site Map).
Already, a local chapter of the NS Association has been formed
in Braidwood, NSW, calling itself the Upper Shoalhaven Natural
Sequence Association. It has a membership already of over 50
people and it will act as the template for further chapters
it is hoped that will appear all over Australia. Peter firmly
believes that a grass roots organization like the NS Association
is the only way that there will be widespread uptake of NSF
and it will allow local communities to build knowledge and capacity
in using and understanding NSF.
One of the prime aims of the NS Association is to address the
loss of Peter’s assets, especially Tarwyn Park, which
was Peter’s prime model in setting up and understanding
the components of the Australian landscape and which was taken
away from him in the now infamous R&D program. As well,
the NS Association wants to see an acknowledgement of Peter’s
Intellectual Property.
News too that Peter will be appearing on another ABC program,
Catalyst, sometime in May. As soon as I have confirmation of
the date I will post it on the website.
I would like to advise everyone to some changes in the Site
Map categories on the nsfarming website. Two new categories
are to be added including Field Days, where interested parties
can go to see NSF field days demonstrated and to learn more
about Peter’s techniques. As well, another caption to
be added is Hear Peter Andrews, where an up to date list of
all of Peter’s speaking engagements will be listed allowing
people all over the country to see where they can go to hear
more from Peter and NSF. Others will be added as well.
Finally, to tell everyone the impact Peter’s story has
had on the nation, the following is an INCOMPLETE list of some
of the things Peter Andrews has been doing since My Australian
Story was shown in June/July of 2005.
Since Australian Story aired back in June 2005 Peter
has been busy. He has attended:
Field Days
More than a dozen field days at Baramul with groups
up to and over 70
Groups that have attended these field days include
· HVCMA
· Minister Ian MacDonald and representatives of DNR
· Central Coast Landcare
· NSW Weed Officers
· Gresford Landcare >50 attendees
· Watershed Landcare and Kurri Kurri TAFE>60 attendees
· Anglo Coal Australia 20 attendees
As well Peter has been the guest speaker at other numerous
field days/seminars and conferences hosted by other Landcare
groups including
· South West WA Landcare
· Hawkesbury Nepean CMA at Belangalo
· Southern New England Landcare Uralla, presented a paper
at the State Landcare seminar attended by 150 people
· Liddell Landcare
· Kingaroy Landcare>100 attendees
· Lake Macquarie Landcare>100 attendees
· Liverpool Plains field day at Craig Carters farm>75
attendees
· SE Landcare Bega field day at Brogo Farm with more
than 120 attendees
· Snowy River Interstate Landcare field day at John and
Jan Walker’s property in Bombala>120 attendees
· Foster Landcare field day at Gloucester with Col Freeman>150
attendees
· Burra SA Landcare>250 attendees
· Araluen/Braidwood Landcare and SRCMA presentation and
field day at Jamie Reynolds property with around 50 attendees
· BDTNRM Field Days
· Dawson CCA Field days
· SEQC field days
Other Landcare events
· Maranna Balonne Landcare and CMA, field day and workshop
· Hunter Region Landcare Network Annual Landcare Forum
2006, guest speaker
· Murrumbidgee CMA field day
· NE Victoria Landcare at Albury Wadonga with NRM Regional
Facilitator, Tom Croft
· Taroom Shire Landcare, Roma Qld.,
· Goondawindi Landcare fielday
· Mullon Creek Natural Farms Field Day, 5th May 2007
· Avoca, Central Victoria on Saturday 21st April 2007
Peter has participated as a keynote speaker at
· National Science Festival in Canberra at ANU with
>250 attendees
· Sustainable Business Leaders Forum in Brisbane
· Eco V Environment Festival at Ballarat over 3 days
with more then 1000 people attending Peter’s workshop
· Earth Dialogues Forum 2006 in Brisbane with Premier
Peter Beatty and Michael Gorbachov
· Taree Enviro Fair
· Queensland Annual Landcare Conference
· Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines
major conference in Brisbane
· International Conference on “Green Processing”
at Minerals Industry conference in Newcastle
· Australian Property Institute (SA Division) Annual
Conference in Adelaide
· BRS in Canberra
· SRCMA and SE Landcare forum, guest speaker>80 attendees
· Congai landholders and local Landcare group speaking
at Wollombi Hall
· NSW Surveyor’s Annual Conference
· Group Rotary InterClub Meeting, Adelaide SA.
Peter has also been involved in the setting up of new
NSF projects with
· SRCMA and Mulloon Creek Natural Farms in Bungendore
· Namoi CMA and Craig Carter’s Quirindi property
· Landcare and Gumlu project with Adrian Pozzibon and
NQ Fruit and Vegetable Supplies
· Greg Donahue’s organic farm at Broadford in Victoria
· Lake Cowill NSF project with 7 properties
· Ongoing works on ARC program at Baramul Stud with ANU,
SCU and Newcatle Unis
Peter has also been to numerous properties to advise
and disseminate info on possible NSF projects with
· Anglo Coal Australia at Saddlers Creek in the Hunter
Valley
· Des Towers property 3000 acres in Dubbo
· Eric Harvey’s property of 8000 acres in Geurie
· Rick Maurice’s property of 2500 acres in Geurie
· David and Jean Edmonds property of 2800 acres on the
Macquarie River in CWCMA
· Ed property ‘Frogrock Wines’ in Mudgee
· Four properties along 18km of Cambalong Creek in Bombala
· Colin Towill’s property at Wollombi
· Mirrool Creek Project at Griffith, MIA
· Peri-urban housing development with Graham Walker in
Tamworth
· Rob Purves property in the Southern Highlands
· Carrigans Property ‘Sunningridge’, Goondawindi
· James Chant’s property ‘Glenrock’,
Marulan
Peter has been the guest of
· Australian Government at Parliament House as guest
of Gary Nairn speaking to politicians of every political persuasion
about NSF
· Peter Mason, AMP Chairman dinner, with 10 champions
of industry including Michael Darling, Arthur Charles
· NSW Parliamentary Natural Resource Management Committee
· Hunter Regional Coal Environmental Officers workshop,
· NSW Farmers Federation, speaking at the National Press
Club in Canberra
· Yass Field Day- Open Gardens Scheme, guest speaker·
Seymour/Heathcote Landcare, Victoria, Healthy Soils through
Communication 2006 Symposium, Norm Tozer
· Rural Communites Leadership Program, guest speaker
· Team Te Mania Workshop, Geelong Cattlemen’s Assoc.
Other credits
· Peter Andrew story was voted the most popular “Australian
Story’ ever in the ABC’s 10 year history
· After the showing in June of last year over 3300 emails
were received to the NSF website
· Appointment of Garry Reynolds as Executive Officer
for NSF for a 12 month period
· Development of a new website www.nsfarming.com and
the ongoing support of Peter’s cousins Lonnie Lee and
John Cooke who together have maintained the other offical website
www.naturalsequencefarming.com
· ABC publishing Peter Andrews book Back from the Brink
to be released on 13th October 2006
· Submission in collaboration with Best Results P/L to
Australian Governments WasterSmart submission with 21 regional
sites across the country
· Australian Government sponsored workshop on NSF with
International Scientists to be held over 2 days in October in
Bungendore
· DVD of the two day workshop “NSF, Defining The
Science and The Practice”
As I write this update the Australian Government have
just announced that in 2 months time 55,000 farmers in the Murray
Darling Basin will not be allocated any more water for agriculture.
Surely, the Nation now needs to recognise the knowledge
and understanding Peter Andrews can bring to the table of our
unique environment. I would ask that ALL of Peter’s supporters
contact their local federal members, the Prime Ministers Office
and the office of Malcolm Turnbull and say quite unequivocally
“Give Peter Andrews and his NSF ideas a GO to fix the
problems we now all face together.
Duane Norris
NSF Assistant
Download
document |