Adaptation and change in Queensland’s rangelands: Cell grazing as an emerging ideology of pastoral-ecology

Vulnerability of Worldwide Pastoralism to Global Changes and Interdisciplinary Strategies for Sustainable Pastoralism

“…The establishment of a pastoral system over the past 200 years, in which privately owned cattle and sheep graze native vegetation, has displaced the Australian indigenous system (McAllister et al 2006). Under this relatively new system, vegetative ground cover has been totally removed by high grazing pressures, resulting in severe soil erosion and vulnerable animal production systems (Allen Consulting Group 2001, Richards andLawrence 2009). Because of vegetation clearing and poor livestock management, about 5.7 million hectares of Australia are affected by dryland salinity, and this number is expected to increase to 17 million within the next 50 years (Allen Consulting Group 2001).…”

“…Because of vegetation clearing and poor livestock management, about 5.7 million hectares of Australia are affected by dryland salinity, and this number is expected to increase to 17 million within the next 50 years (Allen Consulting Group 2001). Such a financially costly and environmentally unsustainable situation has characterized much of Australia's pastoral industry for a long time (Richards and Lawrence 2009). However, the reassertion of Aboriginal rights to land and a widespread conservation movement during the 1980s and early 1990s have promoted pastoral production systems in some areas (Heathcote 1994, Holmes 1994, sometimes resulting in conflicts between grazing practices and public interests with respect to preserving the environment (Buxton andStafford 1996, Dale andBellamy 1998).…”

“…For example, in Queensland, one of the major pastoral areas in Australia (Table 6), as in other grazing areas of Australia, the productivism model is dominating pastoral systems (Richards and Lawrence 2009), even though this mode of food production has been increasingly contested because of concerns about food quality and security and environmental impacts (Lang and Heasman 2004). In the http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss2/art10/ productivism model, the 'ideal typical' form is characterized by production intensification and concentration along with product specialization (Argent 2002, Ilbery andBowler 1998).…”

“…For Australia's ranchers, it is very difficult to move to a new production model because of the poor investment in infrastructure and experiments with 'new' practices during tight economic times (Lawrence et al 2004), criticisms from the peers about ranchers who change their practices (Conacher and Conacher 1995, Guerin and Guerin 1994, Richards et al 2005, and a decreased ratio of prices paid for their livestock relative to input costs (Malcolm et al 1996). In addition, current terms of trade have reduced profitability at the property level, which has prevented landholders from shifting to more environmentally sustainable practices (Richards and Lawrence 2009). This situation is currently challenging the sustainable development of pastoralism in Queensland, as well as all of Australia.…”

Using photography to elicit grazier values and management practices relating to tree survival and recruitment

“…Rotational grazing is unlikely to be as prominent a practice sector-wide as it appears in Table 5 (Richards and Lawrence, 2009); those undertaking continuous grazing rarely mentioned it (Kirkpatrick and Bridle, 2007, found similarly). Rotational graziers were quite enthusiastic about their practices, such as subdividing paddocks and using stock to mulch and fertilise the soil, and the multiple benefits of those practices (see also Greiner et al, 2008).…”