Early wet season burning and pasture spelling to improve land condition in the Victoria River District (NT)

Early wet season burning and pasture spelling to improve land condition in the Victoria River District (NT) Conference Paper

17th Australian Rangeland Society Biennial Conference

• Author(s): Dionne Walsh, Sam Crowder, Boronia Saggers, Suzanne Shearer
• Published: 2012
• Publisher: Australian Rangeland Society

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Abstract: A new trial investigating wet season spelling (with and without early wet season burning) to improve land condition commenced on Delamere station in the Victoria River District (VRD) in 2010. The site is situated on productive “black soil” country that supports the native grass Dichanthium fecundum (Curly Bluegrass). Curly Bluegrass is a resilient and productive perennial grass which grows on heavier soils across northern Australia. It is valued for pastoral production but declines under constant heavy grazing. The previous manager of Delamere had noticed that the vigour and seed production of this and other valuable pasture grasses was enhanced by burning early in the wet season followed by rest from grazing. The trial is thus comparing spelling (with or without burning) at two- and three-year intervals to determine which regime will be the most practical and effective way to improve land condition, pasture productivity and seed production.

• Urls: https://www.austrangesoc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Poster-7-2-Dionne-Walsh-Crowder.pdf , https://www.austrangesoc.com.au/biennial-conference/17th-biennial-conference-papers-2012/
• Publisher Location: Kununurra, Western Australia,