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| February 2010 |
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DPI delivers latest climate change news to Victoria
 Welcome to the first edition of Climate Ready, a quarterly eNewsletter that aims to inform you about climate change and variability, water availability, extreme weather and carbon emissions.
Written by DPI’s Horticulture Climate Adaptation Team, Climate Ready aims to clearly explain the main drivers behind Victoria’s weather, highlight seasonal risks, introduce relevant climate change research and provide case studies and examples for carbon emission mitigation and climate adaptation.
Climate Ready will also act as a useful communication tool for members of the Horticultural Industry Network (HIN) team to communicate key issues to growers and other industry stakeholders. Links to the numerous climate related and weather web sites are also included. The team welcomes feedback and requests for information.
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Vital Viticulture lessons learned from the 2009 summer heatwave
 Viticulture management and strategies have been identified as having the greatest impact on vines surviving heat waves, rather than the heat’s intensity.
This was the main outcome from a survey of 92 viticulturists in 10 winegrowing regions of south east Australia that were affected by the 2009 summer heatwave. The survey was undertaken shortly after the heat wave to allow for the most accurate results. Importantly, it revealed that the estimated loss of production was not always related to the amount of heat to which vines were exposed. The impact was, in most cases, more influenced by the regional or inter–regional management strategies and viticultural practices employed.
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AHEAD... variable conditions rule outlook |
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Victoria’s outlook from February to April, issued by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), is for cooler average maximum and minimum temperatures and higher total rainfalls. However, there is a 60-70 per cent chance of cooler than normal days averaged across the season.
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Allocation increase in Goulburn & Broken Systems |
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 Many Goulburn-Murray irrigators were given a late Christmas present on February 15, with a slight increase in seasonal allocations. The next allocation announcement is on March 1, 2010. Read more
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Weather forecasting revolutionised |
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For the first time, weather forecasts provided by the Bureau of Meteorology are available in graphical or map form out to seven days ahead for anywhere in Victoria.
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Climate scenarios "heat up" |
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By 2030, Victoria’s average annual temperatures are projected to rise by 0.3oC to 1.6oC resulting in changes to average rainfalls and streamflow, reduced water supplies and greater frequency and severity of droughts, storms and bushfires, and in the north of the State, the number of days over 35oC will nearly double.
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What's "driving" our weather |
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Australia's climate can vary greatly from one year to the next. Map 1 (below) sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology, highlights the main - but not all - influences upon the Australian climate. Influences will have varying levels of impact in different regions at different times of year. Over the next few editions of Climate Ready, these weather drivers will be described in more detail.
Map 1: Australia's Climate Influences
Source: Bureau of Meteorology
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Growers must prepare for a changing climate |
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By 2020 the Sunraysia's growing season will face more days of temperatures over 40oC as well as heat units of 2100, in contrast to the current 1800. Therefore, growers are being told that to protect fruit from heat damage, they will need to alter management techniques and consider strategies such as changes to canopy management and the application of sun protectants.
 Dr Tahir Khurshid, New South Wales (NSW) Industry and Investment’s Dareton Primary Industries Institute explains.
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Low Carbon Behaviours On Farm |
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There are two key terms that need to be understood by growers in order to manage climate challenges - Mitigation and Adaptation. Measures to reduce the growth of greenhouse gases, are generally referred to as mitigation (see the Climate Fact Box in the LHS column) and are an important response to the threat of climate change. Read more
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Carbon Crazy (Workshop / Activity) |
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DPI Event
Wednesday March 24, 2010 from 5-9pm at the Joel Joel Hall, Joel Joel. Please register your interest with Lucy Stott on T: (03) 5355 0539 by Friday March 19 (Dinner is provided).
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Bioenergy: Biofuels and Biochar (Forum / Workshop) |
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DPI Event
Wednesday April 21, 2010 from 12-5pm at Goldfields Recreational Reserve, Beaufort. Please register with Lucy Stott T: (03) 5355 0539 by Friday April 16.
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For more information about any of the stories outlined in this report or if you have any case studies or research articles of interest, please contact:
Nic Gowans
Climate Adaptation Officer
Horticulture Program
Farm Services Victoria Department of Primary Industries
T: (03) 5336 6640 M: 0429 799 987 E: nicholas.gowans@dpi.vic.gov.au
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Why worry about greenhouse gases? 
Climate Ready's glossary will cover terms mentioned in each edition and will be regularly updated. 
