Tableland farmers recently gave a group of University of Queensland, environmental management students the opportunity to learn about the challenges of sustainable farming in the wet tropics.

As part of their third year Bachelor of Environmental Management (Sustainable Development) studies, 27 students undertook the three week field excursion in July. The course gives students experience in applying the core skills and theory of their degree to real life examples. Far North Queensland has been the preferred destination for this course for several years, as the region provides a range of environmental management issues.

Dr Nick Callow who accompanied the students said, "students were impressed with farmers' passion and knowledge about the environment. Coming from Brisbane and in lectures it is hard for them to understand the complexity of issues and what farmers are doing. This gives them a chance to speak to people who are changing their practices to both improve their own productivity and also to minimise their impact on the rivers and Reef."

Terrain hosted the students for a day on a tour of the Atherton Tablelands to see some Reef Rescue projects. We visited Glen Drury's organic dairy farm where students learnt how Glen has maintained a profitable farm despite deregulation of the dairy industry and without the use of chemicals. After seeing how effluent and compost were used to fertilise paddocks, students were able to understand Glen's explanation of organic farming, as being "a closed unit".

John Villella was happy to show the group his family's 120 hectare farm at Rocky Creek where they rotate crops of maize, potatoes, grass, cane and legumes. John explained to students how precision farming techniques have saved him money in fuel, made crop management more efficient, and reduced soil compaction.

Terrain's Geoff Onus showcased the drainage repair and regeneration project at Griffin Road at Tolga. This project is a great example of community and local councils working together to solve a drainage problem with both environmental and community benefits. Students were impressed with the amount of silt trapped in the settlement ponds after only 18 months which was prevented from flowing into the Barron River.

Dr Callow said, "the field trip and the opportunity for the students to meet with people from Terrain involved in running Reef Rescue had given them a deeper understanding of what is happening to manage catchments and the Reef in the wet tropics. It showed them that to really understand the issues they need to travel into the field to speak with people on ground."