WFA Projects overview
Summary of projects
This summary provides an overview of projects that are in progress or are being planned.
If you have a concept or suggestion for a project that WFA Ltd could coordinate please email;
management@wildflowersaustralia.com.au
with an outline of your idea. We look forward to developing the idea with you further.
Farm Productivity and Quality Enhancement Project (FPP)
Purpose: To demonstrate best practice that delivers improved productivity and product quality by enhancing the quality of the soils and building resilience to changes in climate and weather.
Project Mentor: Tim Bailey
Principal Investigator & Project Manager: Audrey Gerber
Funding: Co-funded by industry participants and RIRDC
Status: Current
Approx. value: up to $400,000 over 4 years.
This project is now in the completion phase and closed to new
participants.
Please direct any enquiries to the Project Manager Dr Audrey Gerber:
Canopy management project
Project leader: Audrey Gerber, QBloom Pty Ltd
The project is producing detailed, practical canopy management guidelines for the main Wildflower crops grown in Australia. The project is focussing on the top 30 products identified by the industry for PRJ 000331, which defines quality specifications for these top products, but other flowers may be included. This project is being done in 2 stages from 2010 to 2012.
Canopy management workshops were conducted in various locations. Each presented general information on pruning and canopy management plus the specifics of managing particular species.
The information is currently being collated to create a grower manual.
Please direct any enquiries to the project manager, Dr Audrey Gerber (audrey@gerbermail.com.au).
Capacity Building and Communications Enhancement of the Wildflower industry
Project leader: Bettina Gollnow
Recent gains achieved in the wildflower industry, including the formation of a national industry body in WFA, and the successes of current and recently completed R&D projects, will be developed into programs and strategies to get these COMMUNICATED to and USED by industry stakeholders, including growers, marketers, florists and allied industry members.
The WFA website is being updated with more industry and technical information, presented in a more user friendly manner, e.g. summaries of completed R&D projects, and factsheets. Mini conferences or conference plus workshop events are being held in regional areas, customised to suit local growers and their crops, and focussing on current and recently completed R&D projects.
Direct communications to industry stakeholders will occur through monthly newsletters. Articles to promote the wildflower industry as well as R&D activities and outputs will be submitted to Australian horticultural media.
The wildflower industry strategic plan, prepared by WFA in 2010 and based on strategic directions outlined in the 5 year R&D plan, will be reviewed and updated. Industry goals will be set and progress in meeting them tracked, while taking the opportunity to understand the industry’s current and future R&D priorities.
Where possible, wildflower industry needs and initiatives will be integrated with those being developed by New Rural Industries Australia.