“The Climate Positive Leaders Program can help us widen our circle and learn from others in our country and abroad. The Program will provide inspiration and opportunity for us to continue to learn from others.” Dealing with heavy clay soils, Oliver takes particular interest in soil health and monitors the soil across the farm through structural, biodiversity and organic matter testing using a variety of digital and analytics tools. Working to improve nitrogen use efficiency, Oliver applies organic manure on a rotation and is testing the use of biochar as a soil amendment. Since adopting a direct drill practice in 2015, he has documented an increase in organic matter as well as crop yield.
Oliver also has implemented several biodiversity initiatives including an agroforestry project to investigate optimal tree densities, taking land out of production through buffer strips and riparian buffers to protect area wildlife and monitor bird populations, as well as developing a Hedgerow Carbon Code supporting a variety of species habitats while further sequestering more carbon.
