Sixty-year experiments, hidden in the Mulga, informing today’s issues

Abstract

DPI) and established in south-west Queensland to understand the impact of thinning to different tree densities on pastoral production. Two of these trial sites have survived largely intact for the last 60 years, due largely to their remote location and landholder goodwill. Original individual tree and plot data were recovered from Queensland Government archives, which supplements data summarised in academic theses and scientific papers from the 1970s. The third site, Charleville Reserve, had experienced some disturbance (tree cutting and clearing – presumably for livestock fodder and vehicle access) and the original tree and plot data have not been located. Now 60 years after the trials were established, the research priorities have changed, with a modern focus on mulga woodland carbon stocks and sequestration, biodiversity, woody vegetation recovery or regeneration following disturbance and, still an important priority for grazing industries, livestock production. This paper highlights and summarises some of the historic data recovered, the modern woody vegetation assessment and the expected utilisation of the data to inform today’s issues.