Au5tralían Kangeland5ocietj 13th Biennial Conference Alice Springs 5th-8th July 2004 SS'1Nç O O "Living in éOutback" Conference Papers © Australian Rangeland Society AUSTRALIAN RANGELAND SOCIETY 13thBIENNIAL CONFERENCE "LIVING IN THE OUTBACK" CONFERENCE PAPERS ALICE SPRINGS, NORTHERN TERRITORY 5 -8 July 2004 Edited by Gary Bastin, Dionne Walsh and Sarah Nicolson SPONSORS The Conference Committee for the 13th Biennial Australian Rangeland Society Conference acknowledges the generous sponsorship provided by: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry & Forestry National Landcare Program NT Department of Infrastructure, 4.1)Northern Territory Government Planning & Environment 0* ;.`srourgs+nn: ey, t:ttsrHUpcíape, FYUnnésYy-.-. r:rr; i.e:sàaenorw.& ration Government Department of Environment & Heritage, _ Canberra Imeat of ttar Environment anti Heritage NT Department of Business, Industry 00 Northern Territory Government & Resource Development %4 Deparenent of amines, Industry & Resource Development Desert Knowledge CRC Rangelands Australia ota IMIforAANDS Atis7aAt.tA Australian Government Land & Water Australia Land & Water Australia Alice Springs Town Council exit3Alice Springs Elders aeinseienem CSIRO Centralian Land Management Association Low Ecological Services P/L WELCOME Welcome to the "Living in the Outback" Conference, the 13th Biennial Conference of the Australian Rangeland Society. This is the 3rd conference to be held in the NT and I hope that you find it as useful and stimulating as the last two. "Living in the Outback" follows on from the conference two years ago in recognising the increasing diversity of uses and users which must be managed and catered for in the Rangelands. We have moved a few steps forward in integrating the multiplicity of facets impacting on Rangelands and recognise that there will always be a need for dialogue between users in order for management of these robust yet sensitive lands to progress. We have learned a lot over the many years since livestock were brought into the land and I feel we are in the exponential phase of gaining management information and technology. The large quantities of information that need to be assimilated in order to get a sustainable result place an increasing burden on all of us. In these even more trying times of global warming, overcoming the risks requires that we must also be adaptable. I hope that during the coming week you will put in as much information as you take out. The organisation of this Conference has been slightly easier because of the desire of the general scientific and government community in Alice Springs to make this a good one and because of the experienced and enthusiastic Conference Committee that has provided the energy, drive and direction to pull it together. Dionne Walsh has managed to keep us all up to date with superb organisational and communication skills. Gary Bastin has been a driving force to be reckoned with in organising the program and getting the papers together. The rest of the committee, Alison Kennedy, Christine Edgoose, Coral Allan, Greg O'Reilly and our primiparous Katherine member, Robyn Cowley, were a pleasure to work with. Sarah Nicolson, our professional conference organiser, has provided dedicated commitment, guidance and information based on her growing experience with previous conferences. The enthusiasm of the Committee has been inspiring. I also want to thank most gratefully the Session coordinators who were dragged into organising the sessions. Their response, expertise and contacts facilitated the development of the program. Organisation has also been easier with the ready financial sponsorship provided by our major sponsors: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Department of Environment and Heritage (Australian Government); NT Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment; NT Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development; and the newly formed Desert Knowledge CRC. The sponsorship from Rangelands Australia, Alice Springs Town Council, Elders and Land and Water Australia has also provided additional opportunities for bringing together a diversity of land managers and students. The host organisations that we work for have been magnificent in providing sponsorship in kind, this includes the NT Departments above as well as the Centralian Land Management Association (CLMA), CSIRO and Low Ecological Services. I wish you a pleasant stay in Alice Springs, and an informative and productive week during the 13th Conference of the Australian Rangeland Society. Bill Low, Chair Conference Organising Committee. CONFERENCE ORGANISING COMMITTEE Bill Low (Chair) Gary Bastin Dionne Walsh Robyn Cowley Alison Kennedy Coral Allan Greg O'Reilly Christine Edgoose CONFERENCE COORDINATION Intercomm Event Coordination (Sarah Nicolson) 22 Edmund Ave, Unley SA 5061 Mob. 0419 815 864 Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the editing and formatting of papers included in the Conference Papers is in accordance with the author's instructions, however there may besome errors for which the Editors apologise. 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