Of droughts and flooding rains. Part 2

Description

Last week Australian Story introduced audiences to racehorse breeder and farmer Peter Andrews, who has had extraordinary success in converting degraded, salt-ravaged properties into fertile, drought-resistant pastures. His methods are so at odds with conventional scientific wisdom, that for 30 years he's been dismissed and ridiculed as a madman. In this week's concluding episode, eminent national and international scientists agree that Peter Andrews potentially has the solution to alleviating the affects of drought on many parts of the Australian landscape. New research on the property of retailer and Andrews backer Gerry Harvey in the Widden Valley confirms that Peter Andrews' 'natural sequence farming' is achieving startling results very cheaply, simply and quickly. Supporters of Peter Andrews say he has done what no scientist ever thought to do -- he's restored streams and wetlands to the way they were before European settlement interfered with them. As the evidence mounts to support Peter Andrews' theories, committed backers such as Harvey, businessman Richard Pratt and Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson are working to harness and apply his knowledge as Australia faces the driest period on record. Vindication has come at last for Peter Andrews, but it's come at a high personal cost.

Runtime

30 min

Series

Subjects

Contributor

Geography

Genre

Date of Publication

2005

Database

Alexander Street

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