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Land condition monitoring information for reef catchments: a new era

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Karfs, R.A., Abbott, B.N., Scarth, P.F. and Wallace, J.F. (2009) Land condition monitoring information for reef catchments: a new era. Rangeland Journal, 31 (1). pp. 69-86.

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Article Link: https://www.publish.csiro.au/rj/rj08060

Abstract

Land condition monitoring information is required for the strategic management of grazing land and for a better understanding of ecosystem processes. Yet, for policy makers and those land managers whose properties are situated within north-eastern Australia's vast Great Barrier Reef catchments, there has been a general lack of geospatial land condition monitoring information. This paper provides an overview of integrated land monitoring activity in rangeland areas of two major Reef catchments in Queensland: the Burdekin and Fitzroy regions. The project aims were to assemble land condition monitoring datasets that would assist grazing land management and support decision-makers investing public funds; and deliver these data to natural resource management(NRM) community groups, which had been given increased responsibility for delivering local environmental outcomes. We describe the rationale and processes used to produce new land condition monitoring datasets derived from remotely sensed Landsat thematic mapper (TM) and high resolution SPOT 5 satellite imagery and from rapid land condition ground assessment. Specific products include subcatchment groundcover change maps, regional mapping of indicative very poor land condition, and stratified land condition site summaries. Their application, integration, and limitations are discussed. The major innovation is a better understanding of NRM issues with respect to land condition across vast regional areas, and the effective transfer of decision-making capacity to the local level. Likewise, with an increased ability to address policy questions from an evidence-based position, combined with increased cooperation between community, industry and all levels of government, a new era has emerged for decision-makers in rangeland management.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Animal Science
Additional Information:© Australian Rangeland Society. Reproduced with permission from © CSIRO Publishing. Access to published version is available via Publisher’s website.
Keywords:Australian rangelands; Burdekin and Fitzroy regions; land condition monitoring; natural resource management; remote sensing; vegetation cover; arid rangelands; groundcover; runoff.
Subjects:Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Special aspects of agriculture as a whole > Sustainable agriculture
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Agriculture and the environment
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Soils. Soil science
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Agricultural conservation
Animal culture > Cattle
Animal culture > Rangelands. Range management. Grazing
Animal culture > Feeds and feeding. Animal nutrition
Aquaculture and Fisheries > Fisheries > By region or country > Australia > Great Barrier Reef
Live Archive:04 Jun 2009 02:53
Last Modified:27 Sep 2021 01:14

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