Title The untrained environmentalist : how an Australian grazier brought his barren property back to life / John Fenton

Published Crows Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin, 2010

Copies

Location	Call no.	Vol.	Availability
W'BOOL	363.7092 Fenton Fen/Ueh		AVAILABLE

Description xiv, 250 pages, 5 unnumbered pages, 24 unnumbered of plates : illustrations (some color), map, portraits ; 24 cm regular print Contents Foreword / Graeme Gunn -- Lanark's story -- A bold experiment -- In the beginning -- A 1715-acre triangle -- Slow but reliable -- A race against Hector Hogan -- Trees across the Tasman -- Cicely -- A faded squattocracy -- Lanark as it was -- Trees and more trees -- No spare time for footy -- Room for wildlife, too -- No need for chemicals -- A wetland restored -- The return of the birds -- Farm forestry -- More thoughts on farm forestry -- 'You're off your bloody rocker' -- A taste of fame -- A corporate venture -- Hard times -- Is Lanark a model for farmers? -- Stewardship, the key to the future -- How many trees are enough? -- Alley farming -- The amazing value of shelter -- Trees look good, too -- Going it alone -- Sixty-five wild acres -- Blue gums -- Natives versus deciduous -- The art of planting farm trees -- The mighty river red gum -- Life after Lanark -- Botanical names -- Review of Lanark / M.G. Cook -- Reflections on irrigation for sheep and wool production in the 1960s on the Basalt Plains / Jim Murphy -- Lanark bird list (1956-96) / Murray Gunn Summary How John Fenton transformed his family's run-down sheep farm into a lush oasis by the simple act of planting trees - lots and lots of trees. He turned a desolate, degraded farm into an oasis teeming with bird life. Here he tells the inspiring story of how his miracle was achieved.Fenton, farmer and tree planter, arrived at Lanark (his property) near Hamilton, western Victoria in 1956 to find the land damaged by fire and aggressive land clearing practices. Fenton argued against accepted policies of land clearing favoured by the Forestry Commission at the time and went on to revegetate the land, restore the wetlands and swamps. He grew pines and later Australian hardwoods for commercial purposes on the property. Through his efforts Fenton was able to show farmers how to make money from trees as well as play a key role in saving increasingly threatened native forests. The property was recognised as a model for the integration of agriculture and ecology and had won State awards. The very first patch of forest planted became such a valuable habitat that it was selected as the site for the first release on private lands in Victoria of endangered Eastern Barred Bandicoot Analysis Autobiography Environmental management Farms Fenton, John Sustainable agriculture Tree planting Victoria Wetlands Subject Fenton, John D. (John David), 1935- Environmentalists -- Australia -- Victoria -- Biography. Environmentalists -- Australia -- Victoria -- Biography. Farmers -- Australia -- Victoria -- Biography. Forests and forestry -- Australia -- Victoria -- Hamilton region Graziers -- Victoria -- Biography Native plants for cultivation -- Australia -- Victoria -- Hamilton region Ranchers -- Australia -- Victoria -- Biography. Ranchers -- Australia -- Victoria -- Biography. Revegetation -- Australia -- Victoria. Revegetation -- Australia -- Victoria -- Hamilton region Tree planting -- Australia -- Victoria. Tree planting -- Australia -- Victoria -- Hamilton region Wetlands -- Victoria Wetlands -- Australia -- Victoria. Wetlands -- Australia -- Victoria -- Hamilton region Wetlands -- Australia -- Victoria. Genre/Form Biographies. ISBN 1742370195 (paperback) 9781742370194 (paperback)

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