Department of Agriculture and Food
Supporting your success
Report card on sustainable
natural resource use in the rangelands
Status and trend in the pastoral rangelands of Western Australia
Section 4
Conclusion
ii iii
© Western Australian Agriculture Authority (Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia) 2017
ISBN 978-0-9923083-2-2 (hardcopy) ISBN 978-0-9923083-3-9 (digital copy)
Cover: Cattle grazing on rangeland pasture in the Pilbara
Unless otherwise indicated, Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands: status and trend in the pastoral rangelands of Western Australia by Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This report card is available at agric.wa.gov.au.
The Creative Commons licence does not apply to the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia’s logo.
Recommended reference
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 2017, Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands: status and trend in the pastoral rangelands of Western Australia, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, Perth.
Disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.
Copies of this document are available in alternative formats upon request.
3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth WA 6151 Telephone: +61 (0)8 9368 3333
Email: [email protected] Website: agric.wa.gov.au
Shortened forms
Short form Long form
ARLI Annual Return of Livestock and Improvements
CC carrying capacity
Commissioner Commissioner of Soil and Land Conservation CU cattle unit (see Glossary)
DSE dry sheep equivalent (see Glossary) ha hectare; 100ha = 1km2
ha/CU hectares per cattle unit
km2 square kilometres; 1km2 = 100ha
LCD, LCDC land conservation district, land conservation district committee (see Glossary)
MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer NAFI North Australian Fire Information (firenorth.org.au) Potential CC Potential Carrying Capacity (see Glossary)
Present CC Present Carrying Capacity (see Glossary) RVCI Rangeland Vegetation Condition Index t/ha/y tonnes per hectare per year
UCL unallocated Crown land
WARMS Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (see Glossary)
Section 4 Conclusion
114
4.1 Principles of rangeland management
Current, evidence-based resource information is important
Understanding the current state and trend in rangeland condition is important to optimise business outcomes while sustaining the long- term productivity of the resource.
Information and knowledge about pastoral systems are the basis for sound adaptive management. Baseline surveys and long-term monitoring provide the evidence needed to generate management strategies for sustainability. DAFWA works with a range of stakeholders to assess pastoral rangeland condition trends and to produce
management information.
Management practice will determine sustainability of resource use
Well-managed rangeland pasture is fundamental to environmental and economic sustainability. Important management strategies include:
• monitoring rangeland vegetation condition
• balancing the short-term nutritional needs of livestock with sustaining the pasture base in the long term
• using information and technologies.
Viable pastoral businesses are needed for sustainable resource management
Sustainable use of the pastoral rangeland resource requires a viable rangeland economy. It is difficult to manage the long-term resource condition without viable pastoral businesses.
The global demand for food and fibre brings many opportunities and challenges for the agrifood sector. One of these challenges is to achieve productivity growth while ensuring we use our natural resources in a sustainable way.
Opportunities and challenges in the rangelands need to consider the principles of sustainable rangeland management:
Stewardship of natural resources in pastoral rangelands is critical
The economic and environmental sustainability of the rangelands requires that we meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable
natural resource use in pastoral areas means maintaining — and where possible improving — the productive capability of the land which underpins pastoralism while mitigating off-site impact.
Therefore, stewardship of natural resources in the pastoral rangelands is essential. Those who directly manage the land need to have access to the information, resources and support to carry out this critical role.
Managing for longer-term climate variability and trends is important
Management for the long term in a highly variable climate is essential for sustainability in the pastoral areas.
Climate varies across the rangelands from a reliable tropical monsoon in the north Kimberley to the erratic desert climate of the arid interior.
Rainfall variability is a defining characteristic of much of the non- Kimberley pastoral rangelands, as is increasing aridity in the inland Southern Rangelands. Highly variable rainfall causes wide fluctuations in the quantity and quality of forage for livestock and can lead to depletion of the critical palatable perennial pasture component.
Innovation for sustainable resource use is important
Innovation is important for solving problems faced by the pastoral sector. Adopting new technologies and systems can improve the
productivity of the rangelands resource, reduce costs of production and produce high quality products for increasingly discerning customers.
For example, innovation in irrigation development can mitigate grazing pressure on the natural resource base.
Pastoral partic i pants need to work together
Achieving sustainable pastoralism is the responsibility of all participants in the system, including pastoral managers, supporting businesses, policymakers, researchers and consumers.
