Three Bridges Thoroughbreds Partnered With Greenfleet To Make An Environmental Difference!

Written on the 6 March 2017

Three Bridges Thoroughbreds, a picturesque property covering 1600 acres along the Loddon River in Eddington, Victoria is a horses' paradise.

Three Bridges breeds some of Australia's most prized thoroughbreds, and has created an environment that introduces horses back to nature.

One thing the Liston's are passionate about, apart from thoroughbreds, is the environment and their property which has become a sustainable and cost-effective paddock through the positive environmental impact they've made by simply planting trees.

Three Bridges couldn't possibly do it all themselves so they partnered with Greenfleet to reintroduce native trees and create a 30-metre windbreak around the entire property to provide shelter for the horses and to remove carbon from the atmosphere at the same time.

Toby Liston, family owner and manager at Three Bridges said, "One of the best things we've done for our farm is plant trees. We're a family run farm and we couldn't afford to do the planting ourselves, but with the help of Greenfleet, we've invested in the land in a way that will pay us back for decades to come."

The project was an environmental one but clearly had economic benefits as well.

"Investing in 'green infrastructure' has increased our farm's productivity - and ultimately our farm's value," Liston said.

"While trees made the best windbreaks, from an aesthetic perspective, they also stack up financially, with the added benefit of leaving a legacy. The thoroughbreds raised at Three Bridges now have ample shelter around their paddocks from wind, rain and heat - which ultimately means we spend less money on food and have top-quality horses that are achieving some of the best sales results in the world."

Liston said the combination of Three Bridges' farming practices and the natural shelter from the windbreak have reduced their annual feed bill by as much as 50%.

As well as these great benefits, the project has helped combat soil erosion, improve the health of the Loddon River and build a green asset that will be around for generations.

100 acres has been set aside for reforestation and so far Greenfleet has helped Three Bridges revegetate more than 80 acres of forest. Since 2006, Greenfleet has helped Three Bridges plant more than 19,000 native trees with a grand total of 45,000 now planted on the property.

"We now have one of the best farms in Victoria, but probably the biggest gain has been the personal satisfaction of doing the right thing for future generations," Liston said.