Following research in the greater Murray-Darling Basin by a range of research providers indicating the potential of growing commercial tree crops for land and water care in low rainfall and saline environments, a major research initiative {the Trees for Profit (TFP) program} was launched in 1991. To this end, a TFP Research Centre (TFPRC) was established and attached to the University of Melbourne. Membership of the Centre and its Board of Management included the University, the Rural Water Commission (Victoria), the Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), CSIRO Divisions of Forestry and Forest Products, and Treecorp Pty Ltd. The Board was assisted by a part-time Executive Director (Mr Barrie Dexter 1991-1992, Mr Arnis Heislers 1993-1998) (Nambiar and Ferguson 2005). Apart from Board member organizations, the TFPRC received significant and critical underpinning financial support from both Federal research funding bodies and Victorian agencies (including local water authorities).

The TFP program was centered on the greater Shepparton Irrigation Area (SIA) where slowly rising saline groundwater was adversely impacting agricultural production. The salinity was also manifested in widespread mortality of mature native and introduced tree species, especially in irrigated parts of the SIA. The program essentially involved four steps, namely:

• Identifying research priorities and water source options
• Identifying Pilot Sites for conducting the required research
• Designing and implementing what was a complex, multi-disciplinary research program; and
• Monitoring Pilot Sites for a wide range of parameters and progressively reporting results to the TFPRC and the Board.

The TFPRC identified a range of potentially commercial options for tree growing on saline land in the southern part of the Murray-Darling Basin. They included:

1. Planting trees on dryland areas outside of irrigation areas (More than 650 mm annual rainfall)
2. Planting trees on non-irrigated sites within irrigation areas
3. Planting trees at the ends of irrigation bays used for pasture or crop production
4. Irrigating trees using water from agricultural drains
5. Irrigating trees using water pumped from deep leads
6. Irrigating trees using pumped shallow groundwater; and
7. Irrigating trees with municipal or industrial effluent

To achieve the explicit objectives of the TFP program, a series of Pilot Sites (experimental study areas) representing the above tree growing options (except option A) were identified. This required an extensive search of the SIA, and meetings with landholders and local stakeholders. This culminated in arrangements with eight landholders , including the Shepparton Regional Water Authority (SRWA), who committed to the program. This process was largely accomplished by Executive Director B Dexter in close consultation with Board Members and the Centre for Forest Tree Technology (CFTT). He gave high priority to ensuring, as far as was possible, that the selected Pilot Sites would provide the basis for long-term experiments to be conducted on a sound scientific basis.

As Director of CFTT I was given prime responsibility for the establishment of the Pilot Sites and the implementation of a wide range of research studies at each Pilot Site. This was done in close consultation with scientists from the TFPRC. I also worked very closely with Executive Director A Heislers who coordinated the establishment of the Pilot Sites and the implementation of the studies on behalf of the Board. He also had an ongoing role in communicating with participating landholders. This led to a smooth implementation program with all stakeholders kept fully informed.

CFTT produced six key reports for the TFP Research Board. These unpublished reports contain an extraordinary amount of detail on the design and implementation of a complex research program. Two of the reports present some preliminary findings and, collectively, the reports provide important insights into the TFP program. They are linked within the Reference section so that a record of the planning and execution of the program is available not only for historical purposes, but also for future land managers involved in the SIA and beyond.

The TFPRC embarked on an exceedingly ambitious and comprehensive long-term project. Eight Pilot Sites were identified. They were Cobram, Undera, Zeerust, Mangalore, Nathalia, Tatura, Timmering and Shepparton. Each Pilot Site was subject to intense characterization in terms of soil profile descriptions, soil bulk density and pH, and hydrogeology based on information from close-by bores (Bren et al. 1993).

The table below (from Bren et al. 1993) provides an overview of the features of each Pilot Site, including the tree growing option being studied at each of the sites and the participating landholders:

At each Pilot site, a number of replicated studies were established (Bren et al. 1993, Baker et al. 1994, Stackpole et al. 1995) to address the research priorities identified by Morris et al (1992) and the TFPRC. These exceedingly well-designed trials addressed, inter alia, growth of a range of core and secondary tree species (and provenances), growth response to silvicultural treatments including thinning and pruning, impacts of insects on tree growth, groundwater response, tree responses to a range of saline levels, tree water use and wood quality. Some complementary studies were also monitored to compare growth rates and other parameters (including sites at Warrenbayne and Stanhope).

The program attracted wide media attention, particularly the early growth rates exhibited at many of the sites. CFTT hosted a visit to the Mangalore site by the Secretary of DNRE. He was astonished by the early growth rates, so much so that he directed all members of his senior management team to visit the site.

The first TFP report by Neumann and Collett (1992) was undertaken prior to the establishment of the Pilot Sites. This report provides details of assessments undertaken in a 2-year-old research trial in the SIA involving 15 Eucalyptus species comprising 43 provenances. Detailed surveys were undertaken on the extent of damage by insects to juvenile foliage, which was often severe depending on the species and provenances of each species. The work underlined the importance of regular insect defoliation monitoring on the Pilot Sites once established.

Baker et al. (1994) provided detailed information on the objectives of the program and the trial designs that address in particular:

• Species and provenance trials
• Progeny trials
• Establishment technique trials
• Fertilizer rate trials
• Tending trials
• Insect trials

The study involved four core species (E. globulus, E. camaldulensis, E. grandis and E. saligna) and nine secondary Eucalyptus species, Acacia mearnsii and two Casuarina species.

Detailed experimental designs are provided by Baker et al. (1994) for each Pilot Site, including the layout of treatment plots in replicated experiments. It is a complex and exceedingly detailed report on the trial establishment and maintenance for the 1992 and 1993 plantings. Stackpole et al. (1995) provide an incredibly detailed record of all relevant information involved in the establishment of the Pilot Sites including seedlots used, establishment techniques for planting on predominately rough pasture sites (including laser grading, deep ripping and mounding), weed control, source of seedlings (most seedlots were supplied by Treecorp’s Colac nursery), planting, fertilization, browsing control and insect control. Extraordinary detailed maps of the replicated trials are provided. This landmark report is an historical record of the challenges in designing and implementing the research program.

Groundwater monitoring was a key factor addressed by the TFPRC, given the critical nature of groundwater control in the SIA. The report by Batey and Morris (1996) documents the installation and monitoring of shallow groundwater bores. They recorded water table depth and groundwater salinity on a fortnightly basis between June 1995 and May 1996 at six of the Pilot Sites and an additional highly saline site at Stanhope. Results provided a baseline data set for long-term monitoring of groundwater at the TFP Pilot Sites.

Given the importance of identifying tree species/provenances that can tolerate saline environments, this was a priority requirement identified by Morris et al (1992) who recommended comprehensive testing of tree species and provenances for the full range of groundwater and soil salinity levels encountered across the SIA.

Hamlet and Morris (1996) noted that of the four core species planted on all Pilot Sites, only E. camaldulensis was considered suitable for moderately saline sites. They compared early growth at four of the Pilot Sites with soil salinity data by regression analysis. E. globulus was found to be the most salt sensitive species whilst E. camaldulensis and E. grandis were more tolerant of salt. Reduced tree growth with increasing salinity was greatest at the Nathalia Pilot Site.

The TFPRC was terminated in 1998, by which time a massive amount of data on the factors addressed by the studies had not been collated nor compared with studies in the broader Murray-Darling Basin. In 2005, the results from the TFP program together with kindred studies undertaken by CSIRO and other research providers was published (Nambiar and Ferguson 2005). CFTT scientists working on the TFP program featured prominently in several chapters of the book.

Including the unpublished TFP reports by CFTT and other TFPRC scientists on this websitee complements the Nambiar and Ferguson Book by providing detailed information not applicable for inclusion in a higher-level publication.

I remain extremely proud of the contribution of CFTT’s dedicated scientists and skilled technicians who implemented the TFP research program. It will go down in history as a significant contribution to assessing the potential role of commercial tree plantations in addressing salinity problems in irrigation areas with saline water tables.

Acknowledgement

The TFP research program would not have been possible without strong commitments of all landholders involved in the Pilot Sites and from local land management agencies and other stakeholders. It was a massive undertaking to establish the trials, to apply the irrigation treatments and in the general maintenance of the trial sites. The landholders also allowed unrestricted access to the plantations. Without this commitment, the study would never have got off the ground.