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    • Episode 01- Anita Goode
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Meet the EcoGrowers

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Ben Lacey

Region: McLaren Vale
1.  Tell us about your experience in grape growing?
I have a degree in Viticulture (Ag Science) and have been managing vineyards in McLaren Vale for over 15 years.

2. What prompted you to want to be involved in the EcoVineyards project?
I was interested in the work that Dr Mary Retallack had been doing.  We had undertaken some revegetation work on our vineyards in the past and the EcoVineyard project looked to extend this work further. 
I want to use the natural environment to our advantage and reduce the amount of chemical intervention used throughout our vineyards.  I would like to be able use our learnings as part of this project, to help other growers establish their own EcoVineyards in the future.

3. What do you hope to achieve from your involvement in the EcoVineyards project?
To me it is about leaving the landscape in better shape than you found it in. It is about leaving a positive lasting legacy for the next generation.  I want to see how far we can push the boundaries of using the natural environment to aid our vineyard management.

4. Have you tried to increase biodiversity on your property before undertaking this project? If so, how?
We have removed woody weeds (olives), we have also undertaken a revegetation project on our boundary line with our neighbour's, working with the McLaren Vale Biodiversity Project.

5. Why do you think it is so important for growers to try and build natural resilience on their property?
By improving our biodiversity within the vineyard, we can then hopefully reduce the chemical & mechanical intervention required to control pests.
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6. Looking to the future, what do you see as a new 'normal' for grape growers on their properties?
To incorporate a natural biodiverse ecosystem of natives within their vineyards, these could be large or just small pockets of land, which is unsuitable for vineyard production, but could bring so much habitat for beneficials.  Also, growers being able to find undervine vegetation that suits their own unique vineyard environment, this would hopefully improve weed and pest management.

Project Partners

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This project is supported by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, through funding from Australian Government's National Landcare Program.
​This project is funded by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board through the NRM levy.


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© Copyright 2020 Wine Grape Council of South Australia (WGCSA) ABN 15 358 317 535 
  • Home
  • About
    • Our People >
      • Adrian Hoffmann
      • Troy van Dulken
      • Nick Price
      • Ben Pridham
      • Lachlan Allen
      • Jenny Venus
      • Helen Strickland
    • Strategic Direction
    • Industry Organisations
  • REGIONS
  • Grower Resources
    • SA Assistance Guide
    • Guide For Vineyard Removal & Waste Management
    • Code of Conduct Forum
    • Legal Services Partnership
    • Broadacre Burn-off Smoke Management Guidelines
    • AGW Factsheet for Growers
    • Personal Property Security Register
    • Grape Purchase Agreements >
      • Guide to selling wine grapes
      • Wine Industry Code of Conduct
      • Tips to recover payments
    • Transport Legislation
    • Despatch Docket Books
    • Licensing and Compliance Guide
    • Grower Guide to the Label Integrity Program
    • AWRI Fact Sheets
    • Video Library >
      • FIT4WORK
      • Grower Interviews
      • 2017 Wine Grape Grower Summit
      • WGCSA Councillor Interviews
  • GrowStrong 2025
    • GrowStrong Business Fundamentals
    • GrowStrong Events
    • GrowStrong Sustainable Winegrowing Australia Options
    • GrowStrong Pilot Program
  • Reports & Analysis
    • SA Crush & Pricing Report
    • Grape profitability by region
    • Global Market Analysis
  • PODCAST- Series 1
    • Episode 01- Tom Keelan
    • Episode 02- Ashley Keegan
    • Episode 03- Dr Ian Zajac
    • Episode 04- Lachlan Allen
    • Episode 05- Trudie Stanley
    • Episode 06- Adrian Hoffmann
    • Episode 07- Brett Smith & Ashley Keegan
    • Episode 08- Brad Case & Nicole Clark
    • Episode 09- Mary O'Brien
    • Episode 10- Ashley Ratcliff
  • PODCAST- Series 2
    • Episode 01- Anita Goode
    • Episode 02- Richard Leask
    • Episode 03- Matt Dorman, Callen Bubner
    • Episode 04- Kerri Thompson, Marnie Roberts
    • Episode 05- Simon Tolley
    • Episode 06- Steve Schiller, Rebecca Weatherill
    • Episode 07- Sheridan Alm
    • Episode 08- Nigel Blieschke, Tom Bartholomaeus
    • Episode 09- Roger, Greg and Tim Follett
  • News & Events
  • SHOP
  • EcoVineyards