Publication Date

2019

Publisher

State of Western Australia

City

Perth

Abstract

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) reports annually on the condition, trend and risk of decline in vegetation condition of pastoral rangelands in Western Australia (WA). This report is based on the information available to the end of September 2019.

Vegetation condition reflects the effects of three main drivers: seasonal quality (the timeliness and amount of rainfall), grazing pressure and fire. Reported trend in vegetation condition was based on remotely sensed vegetation cover for the three or four most productive pasture types in each region and greenness (how much vegetation grew) data. Based on these trend data, in combination with rainfall data from the Bureau of Meteorology and relative stocking rates, the risk profiles for vegetation condition at the regional and land conservation district (LCD) scales were assessed using ISO 31000:2018–compliant risk tables. This risk-based approach was designed to provide more-robust risk profiles compared to those presented in previous assessments of condition reported by DPIRD. The Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (WARMS) site data, and on-ground traverse data provide absolute point-in-time data about pasture condition and an indication of condition trends at regional and LCD scales.

Over the last 12 months, rainfall has been below average or very much below average over most of the pastoral estate. The north-west of the state has experienced dry conditions with a delayed monsoon onset and below-average rainfall for the 2018–19 wet season. Above-average daytime temperatures have created additional water stress for many areas. However, the current seasonal conditions may not be fully evident in the reported risk assessments because these are based on 11-year vegetation cover trends and stocking rates as reported to 2018. The WA pastoral rangeland estate covers about 860 000 square kilometres across 20 Australian bioregions, with a wide diversity of vegetation types, seasonal conditions and topography. The Kimberley and Pilbara regions comprise the Northern Rangelands, and the Gascoyne, Murchison and Goldfields–Nullarbor regions comprise the Southern Rangelands. A summary of the condition, trend and risk of vegetation condition decline across the entire rangelands and within LCDs in these regions is outlined below.

Importantly, these assessments do not yet identify areas which are in poor vegetation condition, only the degree to which areas are vulnerable to further vegetation condition decline. The assessment of current status based on having explicit condition standards for each region and integrated condition monitoring methodologies, as outlined in DPIRD’s newly endorsed Framework for sustainable pastoral management, will be progressively included in future annual reports.

Number of Pages

73

Keywords

rangelands, condition monitoring, pastoral lands board, pastoral leases, rangeland resource surveys, pastoral lease inspection program, Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System

Disciplines

Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring | Natural Resources Management and Policy

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