Dryland - Farm Forestry

Ensis is focused on developing sustainable and profitable forestry systems that provide both economic and environmental benefits, focusing on the low-medium rainfall areas.

The purpose of this research is to develop profitable systems for traditionally marginal forestry regions by examining the best species (including breeding and development), appropriate forest management techniques, potential products, and the environmental benefits that can result from plantation establishment.

The Ensis team uses its broad scientific knowledge to develop sound technical information on the profitability of forestry systems using multiple benefits and 'ecosystem services' provided by plantations, including salinity mitigation, biodiversity enhancement, carbon sequestration for greenhouse gas mitigation, utilisation of wastes, bioenergy systems and rehabilitation of degraded lands.

The team's expertise covers tree physiology and morphology, nutrient dynamics, growth modelling, plantation water balance, silvicultural practices, waste management and irrigation technology. Current research based in Australia focuses primarily on:

• Commercial Environmental Forestry. 
• Optimal establishment and management of farm plantations - e.g. in medium to low rainfall zones of the Murray Darling Basin for dryland salinity control.
• Subsurface water movement below plantations.
• Landscape hydrology and implications for siting of plantations
• Irrigation management, and interactions of farm plantations with groundwater in irrigation regions.
• Identification of environmental limitations for key agroforestry tree species - matching species to specific sites and predicting growth rates.
• Electromagnetic induction devices for salinity assessment.
• Heat pulse equipment for measuring sap flow in trees.
• A range of programming tools for development of software products.
• Physiological tools for measuring transpiration, water stress, leaf areas and photosynthesis of trees in the field.
• Design and management of productive plantation systems for sustainable reuse of sewage effluent.
• Computer models for design and management of effluent irrigated plantations.
• Published Australian national guidelines for sustainable effluent irrigated plantations.

For further information please contact:

Ph: +61 02 62818204
Fax: +61 02 62818312