Ekidna Tree Guards - Cost Effective Solutions for Planting Paddock Trees
Case study to evaluate the effectiveness of using Ekidna Tree Guards to plant paddock trees.
Capacity building - LEP23_026_LLC
The issue
Increasing the quantity of paddock trees is a challenge for many landowners. Fencing off large areas of land for tree rows is not always possible or desirable. For years, farmers have applied all sorts of solutions to try and protect individual paddock trees such as drums and expensive timber post and rail or electric fences.
Paddock trees offer valuable habitat for native animals, helps connect landscapes, and have many positive impacts on an agricultural property's productivity.
Ekidna Tree Guard is owned and operated by Mat Silver, based in the Hunter Valley, NSW. When Mat and his family moved to their small farm they noticed all their paddock trees were either dead or close to dying. The tree shade is critical for reducing heat stress in a location where summer temperatures can reach the high 40s.
When they looked for ways to protect paddock trees there was really nothing economic on the market and this led to experimentation with spiky mesh.
The solution
Ekidna Tree Guards boast the ability to protect individual trees in a time and cost-effective manner.
For this case study we used 6 of these guards to plant paddock trees alongside sheep and cattle in various paddocks and reviewed their effectiveness after 6 months.
The impact
The guards were quick and easy to install without any machinery. we used 2 steel fence post pickets and tie wire to secure each guard in place.
After 6 months all 6 trees remained unimpacted by livestock or pest animals.
The cost of a guards, 2 stakes and wire works out at less than $40 per tree, significantly cheaper than the cost of other tree protection methods. The guards are made from long-lasting materials, which would allow them to be reused once the paddock tree is established.
Key facts
- Ekidna Tree Guards offer a quick and cost-effective solution to protect newly planted paddock trees.