Charles Sturt University is playing a leading role in salinity research and education as a key participant in the new Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, set to officially open on the Wagga Wagga Campus this week.

Minister for Agriculture Richard Amery will launch the NSW node of the CRC at 10.30am on Wednesday 21 August.

Head of the School of Agriculture and the centre’s Education Program Leader Peter Cregan said CSU’s selection as a partner in the new research centre was national recognition for the University’s contribution to the management of natural resources.

“It will also provide important educational and research benefits, including access to up to $1.44 million in postgraduate scholarships, CRC undergraduate education programs in natural resource management and substantial funding for cooperative research projects aimed at managing salinity and enhancing landholder profits and sustainability,” Mr Cregan said.

The University’s Wagga Wagga Campus, together with NSW Agriculture’s Agricultural Institute, is one of four nodes of the Cooperative Research Centre, with others at the University of Western Australia, the Rutherglen Research Institute and the University of Adelaide.

“The research centre will utilise the University’s expertise in distance education to provide community education in areas such as landscape and salinity management and developing profitable alternate enterprises for saline lands,” Mr Cregan said.

Also attending the launch will be CRC Chair Alex Campbell and the NSW Director of Agriculture Dr Richard Sheldrake.

The opening will be followed by a one-hour seminar on the commercial and environmental uses of agroforestry, with speakers from WA Conservation and Land Management and the CSIRO.

CSU is also associated with the Cooperative Research Centres for Sustainable Rice Production, Viticulture, Weed Management Systems and Sustainable Tourism.