Dung Beetle Solutions International (DBSI):
- conducts workshops about soil health
- conducts workshops about ways to reduce chemical use for your horses or cattle
- provides advice to farmers and environmental agencies about dung beetles
- researches the benefits of dung beetles in southern Australia.
Dung beetle and soil health expert Dr Bernard Doube is the director of DBSI, which he established in 2003. Bernard is an international expert on dung beetles, earthworms and the biological basis of soil health. He worked with CSIRO for 29 years and was OIC of the CSIRO Dung Beetle Research Unit in Pretoria, South Africa, for 7 years. He has published many research articles on dung beetles, earthworms and the biological basis of soil health.
DBSI’s aims are:
- to identify key dung beetle species for agricultural southern Australia
- to assess their agricultural and environmental benefits
- to quantify their capacity to sequester carbon in soils
- to define the climatic and habitat requirements of these species
- to develop methods for harvesting and mass rearing dung beetles
- to establish parallel programs in other, climatically similar, regions of the world.
We have conducted grant-funded research since 2003 in association with many research partners including water authorities, federal agencies (e.g. Meat and Livestock Australia), universities, and Landcare and other landholder groups.