Ecosystem Management Understanding (EMU) Projects ^TM

Recently we have embarked on an exciting new venture -  an Ecosystem Management Understanding (EMU) Project™. With the guidance of EMU ecologist, Hugh Pringle, we are very excited to be apart of this project  which is based on capturing pastoralists’ vast local knowledge as the foundation for improving landscape health and productivity. Key issue areas are identified and flown and priority projects developed. EMU is an ongoing, inter-generational programme that mobilises pastoralists’ existing knowledge and infuses some landscape ecology to get more production out of raindrops, closer to where they fell. The key objectives of the EMU Project are to increase the self-reliance of individual pastoral enterprises and build community collaboration and inter-dependence to meet catchment scale challenges. Our key measure of success is to become redundant by building on existing landscape literacy and community relationships, rather than build pastoral dependence on us as is conventional.

The last 5 years have been extremely dry, some say the driest period since european settlement. Whatever way you look at it, the land has suffered despite all our efforts to try and minimise the impact of drought. Allandale has bounced back extremely well with the rain events of the past six months but with the EMU Project we envisage Allandale will be a shining example of how pastoralists and convservation can work hand in hand to preserve and grow these unique ecosystems for future generations.

Typical of the landscape around North Bridge Creek on the Oodnadatta Track. Photo Hugh Pringle

 Neales River channel floodout

The clay soils of Allandale. Photo: Shannon Napier

Crab skeleton from the Cecelia Waterhole in front of homestead. Photo: Shannon Napier

 Golden Ord Spider. Photo: Shannon Napier