Rangeland monitoring can engage graziers

Abstract

Long-term monitoring is critically important in understanding how rangelands change across time in response to climate and management. In Queensland, the state-wide monitoring system called QGraze was established to monitor long-term pasture condition. The system has not only provided an opportunity to detect change in rangeland condition, but also engage with and build capacity with land managers in the livestock industry.

Beginning in 1991, the Queensland state Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in collaboration with land managers, installed nearly 450 sites on grazing lands across the state. Since then, these sites have been used by several projects to help inform the current state of rangeland condition and trends, such as monitoring the spread of the exotic grass Bothriochloa pertusa in the Burdekin district in North Queensland.

Just as importantly, enhanced engagement with graziers occurs as a result of surveying QGraze sites on their properties. This allows for the collaborative sharing of information and knowledge between DPI staff and the local grazing community. Graziers are interested to learn about their pasture and land condition in finer detail and the changes over time. The subsequent discussion regarding the contributing factors is valuable to inform their management decisions. Given the long timeframe over which monitoring has occurred, these conversations often span multiple generations, managers, and seasonal conditions. In turn, DPI staff are provided with perspective and context around the factors contributing to rangeland condition.

Due to the dedicated maintenance and monitoring of the sites by staff, QGraze provides a valuable resource for a combined understanding of the natural resource base underpinning Queensland’s grazing lands.