Free workshops and funding available for KI landholders to improve soil

"The Kangaroo Island Landscape Board (KILB) is hosting two free workshops for landholders looking to improve their pest management," said Kangaroo Island Landscape Board Chair Andrew Heinrich.

"The KILB has $20,000 for demonstration sites to improve soil condition across Kangaroo Island and will invite expressions of interest from workshop attendees to take up the funding," Mr Heinrich said.

• Dudley Peninsula landholders are invited to a free integrated pest management workshop on Monday, 19 May 2025, from 12 pm until 5 pm, starting at Mitch and Ros Willson's farm (corner Willson River and East-West Highway), moving to False Cape Wines, which includes a free lunch at the cellar door.
• Landholders on the island's western side are invited to a free integrated pest management workshop at Stokes Bay Community Hall on Tuesday, 20 May 2025 from 12 pm until 5 pm, including a free lunch and refreshments.

"Paul Horne and Rebecca Addison will conduct the workshops. Paul and Rebecca are independent advisors who, through their company IPM Technologies, have helped farmers across Australia and New Zealand for many years to better control a wide range of pests with reduced use of pesticides," Mr Heinrich said.

Paul won the Global Industry Award for Australia at the 12th World Potato Congress in Adelaide last year and has spent many years working with farmers on Kangaroo Island to implement IPM plans.

"Paul has a long history of helping Kangaroo Island farmers improve soil health in a way that is better for their budget and the environment," he said.

During the workshops, Rebecca and Paul will help landholders make their own action plans by finding the best pest solution with the latest research and information on pesticides and keeping the beneficial insects, too.

"They know how to use the latest research to get the best results rather than repeatedly only applying broad-spectrum insecticides," Mr Heinrich said.

"For many years, Rebecca and Paul have completed extensive independent research on pesticides to assess their side effects on beneficial insects," he said.

"Landholders on Kangaroo Island who have worked with Paul to improve crops and soil health can attest to the benefits of IPM in improving overall production."

People who attend the workshop will:

• Learn the importance of biological and cultural control methods (management techniques to encourage beneficial species or reduce pests). Sustainable control of resident pests without repeated use of costly pesticides.
• Understand the importance of naturally occurring beneficial mites and insects and how to recognise them. These are your natural killers of unwanted pests.
• Get a free tailored plan for your property to implement the IPM strategy made in the workshop that you can use for many years.
• Learn how to conduct visual soil assessments (VSAs) on your properties. VSA is a do-it-yourself tool to measure improvements in soil health and limitations to plant growth.
• Learn how to improve hydrophobic soils (water repellent), which worsen pest attacks with the current drought conditions.
• Workshop participants will be eligible for financial support to conduct IPM demonstration sites on their properties for at least three years.

Workshop places are limited to 15 people.

Register now:

For more information and to book your spot at the workshops, contact KILB Soil Extension Officer Cassandra Douglas-Hill at cassandra.douglas-hill@sa.gov.au or on 0402 107 167 by 15 May 2025.

Learn more about Paul Horne’s work in the potato industry in Australia and New Zealand in the video below: