Farm & Forest Mapper Tool highlighted at Rural Youth Tasmania's Young Farmer of the Year competition

Posted 29 August 2024

Plantation planning Species, sites and planting Managing trees PFT

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Private Forests Tasmania was delighted to participate in Rural Youth Tasmania’s Young Farmer of the Year competition, where our Farm and Forest Mapper tool was featured as a key module in the State finals.

The Farm and Forest Mapper, a new digital tool developed by Esk Spatial in collaboration with PFT and the Forest Practices Authority, is designed to transform the farm-planning process for landowners, consultants, planners, and contractors. This tool assists users in assessing the suitability of their land for a variety of crops, including commercial tree species, evaluating wind risk, identifying forest class, and enabling the detailed mapping, drawing, and planning of properties for optimal success.

During the competition, the Farm and Forest Mapper was used to map paddocks, proposed shelterbelt plantings, existing forests, and planned fence lines across the Quercus Park property. Participants were required to utilise the Mapper's analysis and planning tools to answer questions on crop suitability, wind exposure, and woodlot planning. They also had to interpret information related to plantation establishment and fencing requirements, all while demonstrating their ability to think holistically and critically evaluate the information during the farm planning process.

The Tasmanian Young Farmer of the Year competition, open to Tasmanians aged 15 to 30, consists of two stages. In the run-offs held in July, competitors faced a range of farm-related tasks, including sheep handling, soil health, sprayer calibration, first aid, machinery operation, and finance. The top 10 scorers from these activities advanced to the Finals, where they completed 10 modules. The top four finalists then participated in the final two modules, testing both their practical and theoretical agricultural knowledge.

The highest point scorer from the State Final was crowned the Tasmanian Young Farmer of the Year, taking home more than $40,000 in prizes.

Private Forests Tasmania extends its congratulations to the 2024 winners:

1st – Dylan Bellchambers
2nd – Zac Leonard
3rd – Chelsea Rayner
4th – Jake Williams
5th – Charlton Skirving

For more information on Rural Youth Tasmania’s Woolworths Tasmanian Young Farmer of the Year, or to get involved as a sponsor or participant, please contact Rural Youth Tasmania. To learn more about the Farm and Forest Mapper Tool, click HERE.

The Farm & Forest Mapper tool was used to map out Rural Youth Tasmania's Quercus Park property as a scoring module for the Tasmanian Young Farmer of the Year award 2024