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Our Rangelands
What are the rangelands?
"Rangeland" is the Earth's most extensive land type. An international term, rangeland covers 70% of the earth's land surface on every continent except Antarctica.
The global extent of major rangeland cover types:
Source: Society for Range Management, USA, January 2005
Four broad ecosystems exist within the Australian rangelands. They are often known by the common name of the dominant type of vegetation:
- Grasslands
- Shrublands
- Woodlands
- Savanna
|
grassland |
low shrubland eg. Bluebush |
|
|
tall shrubland eg. Mulga |
||
|
woodland |
savanna |
|
Australia's rangelands cover 75% of Australia and annually generate significant wealth through a range of increasingly diverse industries:
| - Mining |
$12.0 billion |
|
Source: National Land & Water Resources Audit, 2001
The rangelands are home to around 11% of Australia's total population.
Around 6,000 pastoral enterprises occupy 58% of the land area in the rangelands.
These enterprises have contributed significantly to the economy but are under increasing market, environmental and economic pressures, as product quality, sustainability, tourism, biodiversity, climate change, carbon storage and water resource issues challenge aspects of livestock production.
Approximately 18% of the rangelands are under Aboriginal ownership and management.
Australia's rangelands are home to a significant number of rare fauna and flora species and habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species.
The rangelands include five World Heritage sites.
There is now a realization that some of the past and current management practices have, in some areas, proved inappropriate for the rangelands.
These practices have resulted in soil salinity, accelerated soil erosion, an increase in the number and distribution of weeds and feral animals, reduced water quality and decreased biodiversity.
These types of issues, combined with the value of the rangelands, have highlighted the importance of ecologically sustainable management to ensure business viability for pastoralists, tourist operators and mining, and continuing benefits to the wider community.
Because these issues are long term in nature and as there is no Australia-wide framework for their management, the rangelands provide a major challenge for our institutions.
Across the rangelands, access to learning opportunities is limited and participation rates in TAFE and university courses are very low when compared with metropolitan Australia.
The courses and programs developed by Rangelands Australia meet the expressed needs and future expectations of people in the rangelands.
They are based on a vision of the "triple bottom line" of profitable enterprises, healthy landscapes and vibrant communities.
Rangelands Australia - Learning for a future in the bush
Importance
"Rangelands... provide valuable grazing lands for livestock and wildlife... serve as a source of high quality water, clean air and open spaces and benefit people as a setting for recreation and economic means for agriculture, mining and communities."
Rangelands West, USA, January 2005
Multiple uses
Rangelands serve multiple uses and functions.
Although sheep and cattle grazing is the most extensive practice (covering 60% of the rangelands), land use in the rangelands is diverse.
They provide food, fibre, minerals & gas, valued exports and recreational experiences for domestic and international tourists.
They are also home to Aboriginal culture and businesses, and defence activity, and are important for biodiversity and conservation.
A careful balance of often competing needs of these diverse uses/functions is necessary for sustainable use of Australia's rangelands.
Biodiversity
Rangelands are home to a significant number of rare fauna and flora species and habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species.
With biodiversity that includes 1800 types of plants and 605 vertebrate animals currently identified, rangelands include five World Heritage sites and 11% of all the listings on the Register of the National Estate.
Unlike cropping areas in the agricultural zones, ecosystems in the rangelands are relatively undisturbed. 23% of the rangelands are used for nature conservation.
Some rangeland ecosystems have quite fragile soils, vegetation communities and native fauna populations.
These provide important locations for ecological research.
Australia's savannas and woodlands contain large stores of terrestrial carbon.
Backbone of the grazing industries
As the cultivation of dryland crops is usually not possible in the rangelands due to unreliable or low rainfall, native pastures provide the forage for grazing industries that produce around 70% of Australia's total beef production and the majority of the national sheep production.
Contribution to the economy
An increasingly diverse range of traditional and new industries contribute significantly to the national economy.
In recent years a substantial flora and fauna harvesting industry, estimated to be valued at approximately $190 million annually, has developed in the rangelands.
This includes native timber and seeds, bushfoods, cut flowers, kangaroo harvesting and emu products.
Other diversification options include dates, olives, grapes, farm stays, camels, recreational hunting, etc.
Tourism
Tourism is a rapidly growing industry in the rangelands.
Domestic and international tourists visit the rangelands to "get away from it" and savour an experience that contrasts to their usual urban environment.
Tourism, especially farm stays and ecotourism, provides a diversification opportunity and alternative revenue stream for some cattle and sheep producers.
Rangelands are to be valued for their diversity of scenery, the beauty of open spaces and as sources of clean air and pure water.
Indigenous
Approximately 18% of the rangelands are under Aboriginal ownership and management providing important opportunities for indigenous business, tourism and communities.
Home to communities
Around 11% of Australia's population or 2.2 million people live in the rangelands.
Rangelands and their communities are under increasing social, environmental and economic pressures. These might include retention of youth and experience, access to education, salinity, changing land ownership, water resources and biodiversity.
Rangeland-relevant education and training programs can address these current and future challenges.
Definitions
The word 'rangelands' has been in use since the 1600's. The term 'range' came from the Scottish border country where sheep were 'ranged' on common (or English owned) lands, which eventually became known as rangelands. (Jane Holloway, pers comm.).
The term has been widely used in America for many, many years. In Australia, rangelands have been defined in a number of ways over the past 40 years:
"Rangelands are areas where the rainfall is either too low or too variable for dryland crop production".
CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems web site, January 2005
"These are vast areas - more than 75 per cent of Australia - are sparsely settled but have important multiple values, including grazing, mining, indigenous activities, biodiversity and tourism".
Dr David Kemp, Australian federal Minister for the Environment & Heritage, 25 September 2002
"Grasslands, shrublands, woodlands and savannas in arid and semi-arid temperate and tropical areas".
National Land & Water Resources Audit, 2001
"There is no clearly defined boundary to the rangelands. Boundaries move according to climatic conditions... The rangelands are a strong element in Australian culture, historical discourse, social imagery and social history, and have significant cultural and heritage value for both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. The rangelands also support diverse cultures and social structures at the individual and community level, as well as a diverse range of business and economic interests".
National Principles and Guidelines for Rangeland Management, 1999
"Areas where domestic stock are grazed on native pasture".
Land & Water Research & Development Corporation (now Land & Water Australia), 1994
"Lands used primarily for livestock production and which consist predominantly of native pasture species".
Taylor & Whalley, 1976
"Areas... too dry for crop or sown pasture production".
Perry, 1967
Challenges
It's an exciting and challenging time to be living in the rangelands. Stakeholders involved in our consultation around Australia have identified many current and future challenges:
Community development
- Creating regional communities with capacity for change
- Community empowerment
- Improved programs and information
- Showcasing regional Australia
- Rural-urban drift and decline in some centres
- Improving perceived self-image
- Community (international and urban) expectations
- Considering change; resistance to change
- Communication
- Changing values/society
- Losing control of destiny
- Social imperatives, negative attitudes
- Promoting innovation
- Family values
Change
Rangeland communities are facing a time of continuous change requiring the ability to address these new and emerging issues.
A key community challenge is retaining and building capacity for viable regions including the capacity to deal with change.
Change is often a trigger for learning to keep up with the adjustments necessary to be up-to-date.
Education and training are widely recognised as a strategy for building capacity.
Economic development:
- Regional business innovation in rural industries
- Global competition issues
- Agriculture's contribution to national income
- Safe, clean and quality products
- Land tenure
- Marketing and management for new opportunities
- Diversification
- Multiple use management
- Impacts on pastoral enterprises
- Currency
- Change management
- Balancing production and nature conservation
- Inconsistencies in government legislation
- Property rights and responsibilities
Triple bottom line/sustainability
In the past, one element of the triple bottom line (ie. economic, environmental & social outcomes) outweighed the others.
In decision-making, short term (economic) gain was often more important than longer term consequences.
For example, an increase in stocking rate may increase financial returns. However, the higher levels of pasture use may reduce ground cover and biodiversity, increase erosion, and reduce water quality.
It is now understood that a balance across all three elements of the triple bottom line is necessary for long term success of enterprises and conmmunities, and sustainability in the rangelands.
Environmental:
- Land degradation and reduced productivity
- Biodiversity
- Catchment and vegetation management
- Salinity
- Sustainability
- Feral animals, pests and weeds
- Tree clearing
- Natural resource management
- Fire
- Water and water rights
- Environmental flows
- Governmental policy and regulation
- Economically sustainable production systems
- Drought
- Impacts on pastoral enterprises
- Seasonality
- Empathetic policies - understanding reality
- Soil fertility and health
- Understanding the dynamics of systems
Weeds
Weeds cost the Australian economy an estimated $3.5 billion per year and are one of the most serious threats facing Australia's primary production and biodiversity.
The cost to the environment is also high, with weeds second only to land clearing as a cause of biodiversity loss.
Cultural:
- Understanding stakeholder perceptions
- Cross cultural communication
- Historical and cultural appreciation
Stakeholder participation
Members of rangeland communities are increasingly involved in resolution of issues and/or asked to participate in planning at a local or regional level.
The outcomes of stakeholder engagement processes can have important and far-reaching economic and environmental implications for a rangeland enterprise, and wider implications for a rangeland community.
Equity of services:
- Education & Training
- Communications
- Withdrawal of services
- High cost inputs
- Convincing urban people of the necessity for farming
- Isolation
Education & training
Despite the significance of the rangelands, access to learning opportunities is limited, and participation rates in TAFE and university courses are very low compared with metropolitan Australia.
There is a widely expressed need for specific programs in rangeland management that are more aligned with the education and training needs of the people who will be managing the future of our rangelands.
Rangeland links
These links might be useful for further information about rangelands...
Australian Rangeland Society -
www.austrangesoc.com.au
Society for Range Management (based in the USA) -
www.rangelands.org
Research
CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems - Rangelands and Savannas program -
www.cse.csiro.au/research/Program3/Sustainable_Rangelands.htm
Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation -
www.rirdc.gov.au
Meat & Livestock Australia -
www.mla.com.au
Australian Wool Innovation -
www.wool.com.au
Centre for Arid Zone Research -
www.cazr.csiro.au
Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Desert Knowledge -
www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au
Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Cattle & Beef -
www.beef.crc.org.au
Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Sheep -
www.sheep.crc.org.au
Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Tropical Savannas -
www.savanna.ntu.edu.au
Desert Knowledge Australia
www.desertknowledge.com.au/dka
Online Research Finder for Australia 's research organisations -
www.rf.panopticsearch.com
Land and Water Australia -
www.lwrrdc.gov.au
Government
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia
www.daff.gov.au
Department of the Environment and Water Resources -
www.environment.gov.au
National Land & Water Resources Audit -
www.nlwra.gov.au
Australian Agriculture & Natural Resources online -
www.infoscan.com.au
Commonwealth Government agriculture portal -
www.agriculture.gov.au
Primary Industries and Resources SA -
www.pir.sa.gov.au
Department for Environment and Heritage (SA) -
www.environment.sa.gov.au
Department Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (SA) -
www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au
NT Department of Planning & Infrastructure
www.ipe.nt.gov.au
NT Department of Business, Economic and Regional Development
www.nt.gov.au/dberd/
Western Australian Department Environment and Conservation
www.naturebase.net
Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries -
www.dpi.qld.gov.au
Environmental Protection Agency (QLD) -
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Natural Resources and Water (Queensland) -
www.nrw.qld.gov.au
Department of Agriculture and Food - WA -
www.agric.wa.gov.au
Department Environment & Climate Change (NSW) -
www.epa.nsw.gov.au
Environmental Protection Agency (NSW) -
www.epa.nsw.gov.au/home.htm
National Parks and Wildlife Services (NSW) -
www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au
Department of State and Regional Development (NSW) -
www.business.nsw.gov.au
NSW Department of Planning -
www.planning.nsw.gov.au
NSW Department of Natural Resources -
www.natural resources.nsw.gov.au
NSW Department of Primary Industries -
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au
Producers
Australian Agricultural Co. -
www.aaco.com.au
Stanbroke Pastoral Co. -
www.stanbroke.com.au
Consolidated Pastoral Company -
www.pastoral.com
S.Kidman & Co Ltd -
www.kidman.com.au
North Australian Pastoral Company Pty Ltd -
www.napco.com.au
Heytesbury Beef -
www.heytesburybeef.com.au
OBE Beef -
www.obebeef.com.au
Communities & Networks
Desert Uplands -
www.desertuplands.org.au
Bushlink - Inland Australia online -
www.users.bigpond.com/tearo/bushlink_inland_australia_online.htm
Young Australian Rural Network -
www.yarn.gov.au
Bushlink.com.au -
www.bushlink.com.au
Future Farmers -
www.futurefarmers.com.au
AgNet Australian Agriculture -
www.agnet.com.au
Information
Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group -
www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au
Farm online -
www.farmonline.com.au
NRM Regions/ Regional NRM Groups with significant areas of Rangeland
(These sites provide overviews of the issues, priorities for action and projects in the regions.)
New South Wales (8 of 13 regions)
Border Rivers-Gwydir/ Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-brgw.html
www.brg.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Central West/ Central West CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-cenw.html
cw.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Lachlan/ Lachlan CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-lach.html
www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Lower Murray Darling/ Lower Murray Darling CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-lmd.html
www.lmd.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Murray/ Murray CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-mray.html
www.murray.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Murrumbidgee/ Murrumbidgee CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-mubg.html
www.murrumbidgee.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Namoi/ Namoi CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-namo.html
www.namoi.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Western/ Western CMA
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nsw-west.html
www.western.cma.nsw.gov.au/
Northern Territory (1 of 1 region)
Northern Territory / Natural Resource Management Board (NT)
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/nt.html
www.nrmbnt.org.au/
Queensland (8 of 14 regions)
Burdekin/ Burdekin Dry Tropics
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-burd.html
www.burdekindrytropics.org.au/index.html
Cape York / Cape York Community Engagement Group
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-cyrk.html
Desert Channels/ Desert Channels Queensland
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-dcha.html
www.dcq.org.au/
Fitzroy/ Fitzroy Basin Association
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-fitz.html
www.fba.org.au/
Northern Gulf/ Northern Gulf Resource Management Group
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-ngul.html
www.northerngulf.com.au/index.html
Border Rivers Maranoa-Balonne/ Queensland Murray-Darling Committee
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-mdrl.html
www.qmdc.org.au/
South West Queensland / South West NRM Ltd
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-swq.html
www.southwestnrm.org.au/
Southern Gulf/ Southern Gulf Catchments Ltd
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/qld-sgul.html
www.southerngulf.com.au/
South Australia (5 of 8 regions)
Alinytjara Wilurara/ Alinytjara Wilurara NRM Board
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/sa-alwi.htm
www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/nrm/boards/aw/index.htmll
Eyre Peninsula
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/sa-eyrp.html
www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/nrm/boards/ep/index.html
Northern and Yorke
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/sa-nyrk.htm
www.nynrm.sa.gov.au/
South Australian Murray-Darling Basin
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/sa-mdb.html
www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/nrm/boards/samdb/index.html
South Australia Arid lands
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/sa-arid.html
www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/nrm/boards/saal/regdocs/index.html
Victoria (1 of 10 regions)
Mallee/ Mallee Catchment Management Authority
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/vic-mall.html
www.malleecma.vic.gov.au/
Western Australia (3 of 6 regions)
Avon/ Avon Catchment Council
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/wa-avon.html
www.avonicm.org.au/
Northern Agricultural/ Northern Agricultural Catchments Council
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/wa-narg.htmll
www.nacc.com.au/default.asp?documentid=2
Rangelands/ Rangeland NRM Coordinating Group
www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/wa-rang.html
www.rangelandswa.info/
Rural Industry Groups
National Farmer's Federation -
www.nff.org.au
South Australia Farmers Federation -
www.saff.com.au
Agforce Queensland -
www.agforceqld.org.au
NSW Farmers Federation -
www.nswfarmers.org.au
Northern Territory Cattlemens Association -
www.ntca.org.au
www.pgaofwa.org.au