Review of total grazing pressure management issues and priorities for biodiversity conservation in rangelands: A resource to aid NRM planning Final Report August 2004 A report to the Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage prepared by the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre Authors Alaric Fisher NT Department of Infrastructure Planning and Environment, Darwin Leigh Hunt CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Darwin Craig James CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Alice Springs Jill Landsberg James Cook University, Cairns David Phelps Queensland Department of Primary Industry, Longreach Anita Smyth CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Alice Springs Ian Watson WA Department of Agriculture, Northam Suggested citation method Fisher, A., Hunt, L., James, C., Landsberg, J., Phelps, D., Smyth, A., Watson, I. 2004. Review of total grazing pressure management issues and priorities for biodiversity conservation in rangelands: A resource to aid NRM planning. Desert Knowledge CRC Project Report No. 3 (August 2004); Desert Knowledge CRC and Tropical Savannas Management CRC, Alice Springs. Acknowledgements The following people generously gave of their time to provide information and comments for this report: Vanessa Chewings, Mitchell Jones, Gail Kenmuir, Joyee King, Bronwyn Myers, Ruth Brown. The National Land and Water Resources Audit provided access to the BADES database. COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMERS © Commonwealth of Australia 2004 Information contained in this publication may be copied or reproduced for study, research, information or educational purposes, subject to inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment and Heritage. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication. This project was funded by the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and was managed by the Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH). The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (DK-CRC) is an unincorporated joint venture with 28 partners whose mission is to develop and disseminate an understanding of sustainable living in remote desert environments, deliver enduring regional economies and livelihoods based on Desert Knowledge, and create the networks to market this knowledge in other desert lands. For additional information please contact: Desert Knowledge CRC Networking and Communications Officer, PO Box 2111, Alice Springs NT 0871 Australia Tel: (08) 8950 7162, Fax: (08) 8950 7187, www.desertknowledge.com.au Review of total grazing pressure management issues and priorities for biodiversity conservation in rangelands Contents 1. SUMMARY 8 1.1. Why is managing TGP important for natural resource management? 8 1.2. What is the potential impact of poor management of TGP on the environment? 8 1.3. Report objectives 8 1.4. Report methods and production 9 1.5. Grazing land management zones 9 1.6. Review of previous work relating to TGP management 9 1.7. Review of TGP management 10 1.8. Synthesis across GLMZs 10 1.8.1. Issues and priorities to manage TGP 10 1.8.2. Knowledge and capacity gaps 11 1.8.3. Priorities and opportunities 11 1.8.4. Barriers to progress 12 2. GLOSSARY 14 3. INTRODUCTION 16 3.1. Background 16 3.2. Total grazing pressure and biodiversity in Australian rangelands 17 3.3. Objectives 18 3.4. Structure 18 3.4.1. Personnel and roles 18 3.4.2. Report generation and structure 19 4. GRAZING LAND MANAGEMENT ZONES 20 4.1. Development 20 4.2. Map of zones 22 4.3. Zone 1 – Arnhem Land and Tiwi Islands 23 4.3.1. Regional attributes 23 4.3.2. Biophysical attributes 23 4.3.3. Socioeconomic attributes 24 4.3.4. Pastoral grazing systems and other land uses 24 4.3.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 24 4.3.6. Current management of TGP 24 4.3.7. Biodiversity issues 25 Page 1 Review of total grazing pressure management issues and priorities for biodiversity conservation in rangelands 4.3.8. Previous projects and on-ground work 25 4.3.9. Knowledge gaps 26 4.3.10. Opportunities to invest 26 4.4. Zone 2 – Tropical Savannas 27 4.4.1. Regional attributes 27 4.4.2. Biophysical attributes 27 4.4.3. Socioeconomic attributes 28 4.4.4. Pastoral grazing systems 28 4.4.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 29 4.4.6. Current management of total grazing pressure 29 4.4.7. Biodiversity issues 30 4.4.8. Previous research and on-ground work 31 4.4.9. Knowledge gaps 32 4.4.10. Opportunities to invest 32 4.5. Zone 3 – Mitchell Grass Downs 34 4.5.1. Regional attributes 34 4.5.2. Biophysical attributes 34 4.5.3. Socioeconomic attributes 35 4.5.4. Pastoral grazing systems and other land uses 35 4.5.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 36 4.5.6. Current management of TGP 36 4.5.7. Biodiversity issues 36 4.5.8. Previous projects and on-ground work 38 4.5.9. Knowledge gaps 38 4.5.10. Opportunities to invest 39 4.6. Zone 4 – Einasleigh and Desert Uplands, North Queensland 40 4.6.1. Regional attributes 40 4.6.2. Biophysical attributes 40 4.6.3. Socioeconomic attributes 41 4.6.4. Pastoral grazing systems 42 4.6.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 42 4.6.6. Current management of TGP 42 4.6.7. Biodiversity issues 43 4.6.8. Previous research and on-ground work 44 4.6.9. Knowledge gaps 45 4.6.10. Opportunities to invest 45 Page 2 Review of total grazing pressure management issues and priorities for biodiversity conservation in rangelands 4.7. Zone 5 – Arid Deserts 47 4.7.1. Regional attributes 47 4.7.2. Biophysical attributes 47 4.7.3. Socioeconomic attributes 48 4.7.4. Pastoral grazing systems 48 4.7.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 49 4.7.6. Current management of TGP 49 4.7.7. Biodiversity issues 49 4.7.8. Previous projects and on-ground work 50 4.7.9. Knowledge gaps 50 4.7.10. Opportunities to invest 50 4.8. Zone 6 – Central Cattle Grazing 52 4.8.1. Regional attributes 52 4.8.2. Biophysical attributes 52 4.8.3. Socioeconomic attributes 53 4.8.4. Pastoral grazing systems 53 4.8.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 54 4.8.6. Current management of TGP 54 4.8.7. Biodiversity issues 54 4.8.8. Previous research and on-ground work 55 4.8.9. Knowledge gaps 55 4.8.10. Opportunities to invest 56 4.9. Zone 7 – Pilbara: Extensive Cattle Grazing in Tussock and Hummock Grasslands 57 4.9.1. Regional attributes 57 4.9.2. Biophysical attributes 57 4.9.3. Socioeconomic attributes 58 4.9.4. Pastoral grazing systems and other land uses 58 4.9.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 59 4.9.6. Current management of TGP 59 4.9.7. Biodiversity issues 60 4.9.8. Previous projects and on-ground work 61 4.9.9. Knowledge gaps 61 4.9.10. Opportunities to invest 62 4.10. Zone 8 – Southern Australia Sheep and Cattle Grazing in Shrublands 64 4.10.1. Regional attributes 64 Page 3 Review of total grazing pressure management issues and priorities for biodiversity conservation in rangelands 4.10.2. Biophysical attributes 65 4.10.3. Socioeconomic attributes 65 4.10.4. Pastoral grazing systems and other land uses 66 4.10.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 67 4.10.6. Current management of TGP 67 4.10.7. Biodiversity issues 68 4.10.8. Previous projects and on-ground work 69 4.10.9. Knowledge gaps 71 4.10.10. Opportunities to invest 71 4.11. Zone 9 – Extensive Sheep Grazing 74 4.11.1. Regional attributes 74 4.11.2. Biophysical attributes 74 4.11.3. Socioeconomic attributes 75 4.11.4. Pastoral grazing systems 75 4.11.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 76 4.11.6. Current management of TGP 76 4.11.7. Biodiversity issues 77 4.11.8. Previous research and on-ground work 77 4.11.9. Knowledge gaps 78 4.11.10. Opportunities to invest 78 4.12. Zone 10 – Highly Modified Rangelands 80 4.12.1. Regional attributes 80 4.12.2. Biophysical attributes 81 4.12.3. Socioeconomic attributes 82 4.12.4. Pastoral grazing systems 82 4.12.5. Wild stock (including feral animals) 83 4.12.6. Current management of TGP 83 4.12.7. Biodiversity issues 84 4.12.8. Previous projects and on-ground work 85 4.12.9. Knowledge gaps 85 4.12.10. Opportunities to invest 86 5. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS PROJECTS 87 5.1. Introduction 87 5.2. Project review database 87 6. TGP: MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND TECHNIQUES FOR THE RANGELANDS 95 Page 4 Review of total grazing pressure management issues and priorities for biodiversity conservation in rangelands 6.1. Introduction 95 6.2. Issues in the management of the natural resource base 96 6.2.1. Acknowledging all grazers in estimating and managing grazing pressure 97 6.2.2. Feral animals – pest or economic resource? 97 6.2.3. The issue of dietary choice 98 6.2.4. Soil impacts 99 6.2.5. Transferability between GLMZs 99 6.3. Management of domestic livestock 99 6.3.1. Common grazing management issues 100 6.3.1.1. Stocking rates, utilisation rates and carrying capacities 100 6.3.1.2.