Tropical Forestry Services Ltd has developed the first ever water recycling project as part of the Ord River Irrigation Area at Kununurra in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Tropical Forestry Services Ltd has developed the first ever water recycling project as part of the Ord River Irrigation Area at Kununurra in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The recycling facility on TFS's Indian Sandalwood plantations was officially opened today by Western Australian Minister for Agriculture Kim Chance.
The project was completed in conjunction with the Ord Irrigation Cooperative, which provided infrastructure and technical support, and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality which provided capital works funding.
TFS chairman Frank Wilson said the recycling facility would provide significant environmental benefits to the river systems and wetlands in the area and he hoped other primary producers on the Ord River Irrigation Area would install similar facilities.
"Although the conservation of water is important even in an area where water is plentiful, the main benefits of recycling relate to protecting rivers and wetlands from run off of used water," Mr Wilson said.
"TFS is a major land owner and producer on the Ord River Irrigation Area and the future success of our company is linked to the ecological wellbeing of the region.
"While the establishment of the first recycling facility has been a significant cost to us, we see it as a long-term investment in our future operations. The Ord River has enormous potential to grow a diverse range of products in large quantities and in the future will have a beneficial impact on the Australian economy through provision to national markets as well as export earnings.
"On this basis, it's crucial that we maintain that "clean green" environment."
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SANDALWOOD COMPANY IN ORD RECYCLING FIRST
Tropical Forestry Services Ltd (TFS) has developed the first ever water recycling project as part of the Ord
River Irrigation Area at Kununurra in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The recycling facility on TFS's Indian Sandalwood plantations was officially opened today (Friday May 12) by
Western Australian Minister for Agriculture Kim Chance.
The project was completed in conjunction with the Ord Irrigation Cooperative, which provided infrastructure
and technical support, and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality which provided capital
works funding.
TFS chairman Frank Wilson said the recycling facility would provide significant environmental benefits to the
river systems and wetlands in the area and he hoped other primary producers on the Ord River Irrigation
Area would install similar facilities.
"Although the conservation of water is important even in an area where water is plentiful, the main benefits of
recycling relate to protecting rivers and wetlands from run off of used water," Mr Wilson said.
"TFS is a major land owner and producer on the Ord River Irrigation Area and the future success of our
company is linked to the ecological wellbeing of the region.
"While the establishment of the first recycling facility has been a significant cost to us, we see it as a long-
term investment in our future operations. The Ord River has enormous potential to grow a diverse range of
products in large quantities and in the future will have a beneficial impact on the Australian economy through
provision to national markets as well as export earnings.
"On this basis, it's crucial that we maintain that "clean green" environment.
"We think this takes environmentally friendly agriculture and forestry to another level. When this pioneer
project proves itself, we hope other growers will link into the state government's Ord Irrigation Cooperative
and the federal government's National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality to develop similar facilities.
"When stages one and two of the project are in operation we will reduce water usage by up to 7,000 mega
litres a year which will be a cost benefit to us, as well as be a means of conserving water."
By 30 June 2006 TFS will have more than 800 hectares of Indian sandalwood under irrigation, making the
east Kimberley the centre of future world sandalwood production.
As an important base ingredient in fine fragrances, Indian sandalwood has been in high demand throughout
the world over thousands of years, demand that has increased as natural supplies have rapidly diminished.
Its price has increased at a compounded average of 22.3% per annum over the past 15 years with the latest
average world price at auction in India rising to over A$105,000 a tonne.
TFS ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP
As part of TFS's commitment to the Kimberley region, Mr Wilson announced the company would provide an
annual scholarship for a young person from the region to undertake tertiary study in either agricultural
science, forestry, environmental science or another agri-business-related discipline.
"The TFS scholarship is to provide opportunities for young people from the region who under normal
circumstances would not have the means to pursue a tertiary qualification," Mr Wilson said. "Like the water
recycling program, we see the annual scholarship as an investment in this region, and in our future."
