Taking the Pulse
Taking the Pulse Report
- Author(s): Bastin, GN, ACRIS Management Committee Rangelands,
- Published: 2008
- Publisher: Published on behalf of the ACRIS Management Committee by the National Land & Water Resources Audit
Abstract: The rangelands — popularly known as ‘the outback’ — cover 81% of Australia’s land area (Figure 1). Revenue generated through mining (more than $12 billion annually), tourism (more than $2 billion annually) and agriculture ($2.4 billion in 2001) contributes significantly to Australia’s economy. The rangelands are relatively intact ecosystems and contain important components of Australia’s biodiversity. Additionally, they are home to many Indigenous people and have important cultural value for most Australians. There are many natural resource management challenges in the rangelands. Historical declines in biodiversity may be continuing under current land management practices. Dry years are normal, making it difficult to distinguish the effects of inappropriate grazing practices from the effects of drought. Other pressures include inappropriate fire regimes, weeds, grazing by kangaroos and feral animals, and water extractions and diversions. Governments’ task is to balance economic and social needs with the maintenance of productive land resources and the conservation of biodiversity. Regional investment priorities, national, state and Northern Territory (NT) legislation, and international conventions and strategies all guide the use and management of different parts of the rangelands. The effectiveness of these various policies and investment strategies can only be judged by access to information such as ACRIS is providing. Policies, programs, and on-ground management of natural resources should all be based on the best available data. ACRIS — a partnership between government organisations responsible for rangeland management — is a coordinating mechanism for collating and synthesising information. This report is the first time that disparate datasets (from 1992 to 2005) have been brought together to present integrated results at a national and regional scale for policymakers and managers.
- Urls: https://web.archive.org/web/20130201011455/http://environment.gov.au/land/publications/acris/pubs/rangelands08-pulse.zip Zip file, http://www.environment.gov.au/land/publications/acris/report08.html Download site
- Publisher Location: Canberra