Northern future: managing diversity• crc goes ahead • salinity plan • carbon credits • arnhem land ipa • hit website management 4–6 • northern future forum 6–7 •

ISSN 1327-788X

I SSUE 17JAN–MARCH 2001

NEWS 2–3• CRC GOES AHEAD

• SALINITY PLAN

• CARBON CREDITS

• ARNHEM LAND IPA• HIT WEBSITE

M ANAGEMENT 4–6• NORTHERN FUTURE

FORUM 6–7• NORTHERN PASTORALIST

RIPARIAN 8–9• ORD IN TRANSITION

VEGETATION 10• CO

2 STUDY

I NDIGENOUS 11• DIDJERIDU TRADE

SAV BITES 12–13

CALENDAR 14–16

VISIT US ONLINE AT

http://savanna.ntu.edu.au

View from Sunday Creek

Perceptions of northern Australia are often shaped by the landscape itself�the dramatic scenery and the often harsh climate. Less attention is paid to thesocial and economic conditions. Recent surveys, however, show that the northhas levels of remoteness and socio-economic disadvantage that are muchhigher than in agricultural areas in the south. Also, regions within northern Australiaare developing at a different pace and in different ways. Turn to Page 4 for asynopsis of some of these issues.

�For me life in northern Australia is about threethings � for cattle, for country and for kids�

Northern future: managing diversity

Rising levels of CO2 may well changefundamental aspects of Australia�ssavannas: trees could out-competegrasses, the grasses, while growingbetter, may be less nutritious for the

Tom Stockwell is a pastoralist from Sunday Creekstation in the NT, he�s also chairman of the NorthAustralia Beef Research Council. On Page 6 heoutlines his view of the north�s pastoral industry; theknowledge it needs, the challenges it faces.

animals that feed on them. A new studyoutside Townsville will measure someof these changes so land managerscan plan for the future. See Page 10.

CO2 rising: what�s in store for the savannas?

Den

nis

Sch

ulz

Greg Calvert

Kate O’Donnell

2Savanna Links http://savanna.ntu.edu.au

news

The Tropical Savannas CRCis a joint venture of the majororganisations involved inland management of thesavannas of north Australia.It comprises two universities,two divisions of CSIRO, fourNT, three Queensland, twoWA government agencies andone federal agency. TheCentre promotes sustainableuse and conservation ofAustralia’s tropical savannasby acting as a bridge

Tropical Savannas CRC: Linking the Northbetween agencies engaged inland-management researchand industries representingland users: e.g. pastoralists,Aboriginal groups, the touristindustry and conservationmanagers; and by looking forways to ensure more researchends up being used on theland. Director:Mr John ChildsTel: (08) 8946 6834Fax: (08) 8946 [email protected]

BOTH the Northern Territory andQueensland have now signed theinter-governmental agreement to fightsalinity through a national actionplan. The agreement involves theCommonwealth and all states andterritories and stipulates that fundingwill be shared among community-based groups in 20 key catchmentsand regions across Australia. TheCouncil of Australian Governments

National salinity action plan under way across northendorsed the National Action Plan forSalinity and Water Quality in Nov-ember 2000. All state and territorygovernments participated in de-veloping the plan.

In Queensland, the federal andstate governments will providearound $81 million each over the nextseven years to fight salinity in thestate. Priority catchments are theBurdekin-Fitzroy; Lockyer-Burnett-

Mary; Condamine-Balonne-Maranoaand Border Rivers.

The NT will receive $6 million overthe next seven years, reflecting thefewer problems it has because ofsmaller amounts of land clearing.

In Western Australia, regionalcatchment groups are establishedacross the south-west of the state.They will target about 26 sub-catch-ments within five catchments.

QUEENSLAND landowners may soon be able to use treesand other vegetation on their land to profit from theanticipated worldwide carbon credit trading scheme,although the status of the Kyoto agreement wasuncertain at the time of writing.

The State Government is preparing the Forestry ActAmendment Bill 2001 to allow commercial dealings incarbon credits. Trading will involve carbon credits andemissions permits, with credits comprising a set tonnageof carbon to be removed from the atmosphere by a givenarea of trees and other vegetation.

Permits will be allocated to greenhouse gas emitters.However, carbon credits are likely to be generated onlyin forests planted since 1990 on land that had been clearedfor agricultural use.

Carbon credit trading on the way

THE Tropical Savannas CRC has been renewed foranother seven years, with a new CRC beginning in mid-2001. On January 18, Minister for Science Senator NickMinchin announced funding of $18.2 million for the newTropical Savannas Management CRC (TSM–CRC) as partof the annual application round for new CRCs.

The new CRC, as its title suggests, has a greater focuson management and will use the tools and sciencedeveloped during the seven-year life of the original CRC.

“In the first round of the CRC we developed somescientific understanding and platforms of technology thatwe could use for monitoring and modelling the landscape,”said director John Childs.

“What we want to do now is apply that knowledgeand tools in a range of areas, including properties,Aboriginal-owned land and across regions. Our focus isshifting to an application of the science and technologyin how we interact with the landscapes that we use.”

New partners in the TSM–CRC include the Allianceof Aboriginal Land Councils across northern Australiaand the pastoral industry through the North AustraliaBeef Research Council and Meat and Livestock Australia.The University of Queensland is another new partner.

“We’re fortunate to have funding for a seven-yearperiod,” said John. “When addressing issues of sustain-ability, you have to look at it for a fairly long period oftime, and seven years of funding makes a tremendousdifference to strategic planning for the future.”

New Tropical Savannas CRC to go aheadThe TSM–CRC will also use the theme structure

developed in the first CRC to integrate its research. Thethemes however, have changed to reflect the new directionin applying research.

Theme 1: Landscape Ecology and Health aims tounderstand the ecological principles behind landscapehealth and the processes which maintain it and wherenecessary restore it.

Theme 2: Industry and Community Natural ResourceManagement aims to develop, with industry andcommunities, policy and management principles andpractices for natural resource management, environmentalprotection and biodiversity conservation.

Theme 3: Regional Planning and Management aims todevelop, apply and test regionally focused planning,administration and management models that identify a‘triple bottom line’ for communities: ecological sustain-ability, economic viability and social desirability.

Theme 4: Human Capability Development aims tounderstand specific education requirements and learningprocesses relevant to people living in remote and isolatedparts of northern Australia and to provide them with thenecessary information and learning materials so they canincrease their skills and knowledge in environmentallyresponsible management.

More information contact: John Childs, DirectorTel: 08 8946 6835 Fax: 08 8946 7107 Email: [email protected]

3 January–March 2001

AROUND 100,000 hectares of ecologically and culturallysignificant land in north-east Arnhem Land was declaredan Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) in March.

The Dhimurru IPA is the first such agreement in theNorthern Territory, and the thirteenth to be declared inAustralia. This brings the total of Indigenous owned landsmanaged as IPAs to 3.1 million hectares.

The Natural Heritage Trust has granted $110,000 offunding to Dhimurru Land Management AboriginalCorporation to assist with establishing and managing theIPA. The IPA program is a Commonwealth initiative fundedthrough the Natural Heritage Trust.

Under the program, indigenous landowners committo manage their lands as part of Australia’s NationalReserve System. In return, landowners receive fundingand technical support to manage their lands.

The Dhimurru IPA contains a vast diversity of plant,animal and sealife, some species of which are thought to

occur only in the IPA. Ecological systems include sanddunes, grasslands, monsoon rainforest, mangroves, salineswamps, open forest, woodlands, pandanus swamp, andriparian forest. The IPA also includes coastal zones whichcover territory of several threatened turtle species andthe nesting and feeding habitats for numerous sea birds.

The major management issues are visitor pressureson recreation areas, rehabilitation from past uncontrolledvehicle access, and wildlife protection and researchincluding monitoring the impact of marine debris onthreatened turtle populations.

The Dhimurru Indigenous Protected Area takes itsname from the Dhimurru Land Management AboriginalCorporation, formed in 1992 to represent the interests ofthe 14 clan groups which have links to the Dhimurru lands.

For more information about the Indigenous Protected Area Program go to:Web: www.environment.gov.au/bg/indigenous-policy/fact-sheetsWeb: www.octa4.net.au/dhimurru/default.html

Pictured left is Federal Environment

Minister Robert Hill with Dhimurru

Land Management Aboriginal

Corporation Rangers and staff

including Chairman Bawurr

Munyarryun (seated left) and Senior

Ranger Nanikiya Munungurritj

(standing beside the Minister) at a

ceremony on March 16 to mark the

declaration of Dhimurru Indigenous

Protected Area in the NT. At right is a

map of the Dhimurru Indigenous

Protected Area

Protected area declared in Arnhem Land

THE Tropical Savannas CRC’s web-site has been chosen as a preferredsite by not one, but two onlineeducation providers in the UnitedStates. Lightspan’s StudyWeb pro-vides curriculum-based, educationalsoftware and Internet products andservices for use in schools and athome in the US.

It picked the TS–CRC’s SavannaExplorer section for inclusion in itsBiomes sub-section which coversother environments such as deserts,prairies and tundras.

US National Science TeachersAssociation (NSTA) also picked theTS–CRC’s website for inclusion intheir SciLinks site. SciLinks is essent-ially an outcome of a partnershipbetween US textbook publishers andthe NSTA. Textbooks publishedwithin this arrangement contain

sciLinks numbers throughout theirmargins that direct readers to a suiteof websites tied to the specific pointin the book.

If you’re interested, go to the site,(see URL below) and log on as‘Guest’. A page will come up whereyou can insert the codes—here aresome from various textbooks: HE084(temperate forests); HE140 (oceanpollution); HW116 (alternative fuels);HW182 (nuclear reactions: fission).

• THE New Zealand site ‘TussockGrassland Management InformationSystem’ has also linked to the TS–CRC website. This site providesinformation on the ecology andmanagement of tussock grasslands inNew Zealand.

AS some of you will have noticedthe TS–CRC has revamped itshome page with a new look thatallows easier access to our ever-expanding fund of information onthe savannas.

This new structure allows youto go straight to features such asSavanna Explorer and SavannaSearch, the online version of thisnewsletter, Centre news and newpublications.

We’ve also streamlined many ofour graphics to make downloadtimes faster.

For those who still findgraphics of all kinds a barrier tospeedy surfing, we have a majorupgrade under way that willintroduce a text-only version of oursite before the end of the year.Email: [email protected]@jcu.edu.au;Visit us at: http://savanna.ntu.edu.au

Lightspan StudyWeb: www.studyweb.comSciLinks: (Log on as Guest) www.scilinks.orgNZ Tussocks MS: www.tussocks.net.nz/

Savannas’ website a hit with US educators


land management

The various land users of northern Australia haveto cope with powerful biophysical features: amonsoonal climate, a fire-prone landscape andthe generally low fertility of the soils. However,

they are also living and working within a distinct socialcontext; one that affects land use and is affected by it.There is an immense amount of work ahead of us to createa better understanding of how biophysical characteristicsinteract with the social, cultural and economic factors.

Land usesThe main land uses in the region are grazing, defence,conservation, tourism, intensive agriculture and hort-iculture, ‘lifestyle’ habitation and Aboriginal homelands,and mining. A common characteristic of most Aboriginallands is that they support a multitude of land uses, oftenoverlapping and interacting. This is increasinglybecoming a feature of other lands also—and the resolutionof the resulting diversity of land use objectives is a matterof considerable importance for research.

Major social and economic trendsThe Bureau of Rural Sciences’ Social Atlas (CountryMatters: Social Atlas of Rural and Regional AustraliaBRS 1999) contains much useful baseline data that pointsto emerging socio-economic patterns in the north.

Three generalisations can be made about northernAustralia compared to the nation as a whole. Firstly,according to some indicators, northern Australia has muchmore in common with rural areas in general than with urbanareas. Yet according to others, northern Australia as awhole differs markedly from the remainder of rural

Australia. Finally, one of the most notable features aboutmany of the statistics is the degree of variability withinnorthern Australia. If one was to look across theagricultural belts in southern Australia, the variation inlevels of remoteness or socio-economic disadvantage ismuch less than it is across the north, and many otherfactors follow this pattern. While it is important everywherein outback Australia to understand regional differences,this is especially so in the ‘undeveloped’ north. There isa noticeable divide between eastern Queensland and therest of northern Australia in a whole range of statistics,no doubt reflecting the much greater population densityof eastern Queensland, and the flow-on effects of this ineconomic terms. To a lesser extent a gap also existsbetween the Darwin/Queensland coastal areas and theinland. These two trends suggest the possibility ofongoing unequal development across the north in waysthat could produce even greater inequities in the future.

Approach used by the AtlasThe atlas uses information from the 1996 census onpopulation and housing. It focuses on Australia’s non-metropolitan population, which at the time of the censuswas 6,588,438. The maps’ data is presented in two basicways: in absolute values, for example in the number ofpersons per square kilometre, and in percentage valuesas compared to the non-metropolitan average. The mapsuse Statistical Local Areas, which comprise a single localgovernment area or any unincorporated area. The atlasgives two maps for most features: a ‘snapshot’ illustratingthe most recent situation (1996), and maps that show whathas changed since 1991.

Northern future: managing diversity

Map 2: Between 1991 and 1996, Australia’s populationincreased by 5.8 per cent, from 16,770,774 to 17,739,124.While non-metropolitan and metropolitan average growth wassimilar, there was substantial variation across non-metropolitanAustralia in terms of population growth and decline. Growthwas concentrated along the east and south-west coasts andthe outer urban areas of major cities.

Map 79 shows the distribution of relative socio-economicdisadvantage (SEIFA) across Australia. SIEFA is a compositeof several census variables. Areas with the greatest relativedisadvantage have higher proportions of low income families,unemployed people, low educational qualifications, publichousing and people in low-skilled occupations.

The value for Australia as a whole is standardised at 1000.Values exceeding this figure have high levels of socio-economic wellbeing than the Australian standard, and viceversa for those below it.

Map 80: The ARIA index (Accessibility/Remoteness Indexof Australia) represents a generic measure of remotenessacross all non-metropolitan parts of Australia. It was developedusing a GIS to calculate an index of remoteness at eachdistance of more than 11,000 populated places aroundAustralia. The scores are divided into five categories, rangingfrom extreme remote to high accessibility. Virtually all of therangelands are in the most remote category.

Map 2

Recent surveys show that northern Australia has levels of remoteness andsocio-economic disadvantage that are much higher than in agriculturalareas in the south. Mark Stafford-Smith considers some of the issues.


Population changeMap 2 shows population change (1996) and illustratesthat although rural populations, and those across thenorth, are generally low, the change in these between 1991and 1996 varies hugely between regions.

For example, parts of the Top End—East and WestArnhem Land—showed a 5–20 per cent increase over thefive year period, while the Elsey SLA (which includesKatherine) showed a 20 per cent or greater increase.However, South Alligator, to the west, showed a 5 to 20per cent decrease. Although the map shows manynorthern areas are growing, the numbers are low.

Indigenous populationThe indigenous component of the population in northernAustralia is high compared to the national average.Indigenous people represent 2 per cent of the totalAustralian population, nearly 4 per cent of people in ruralAustralia generally, but more than 20 per cent for most ofnorthern Australia, except eastern Queensland wherenumbers drops to the rural average.

The rate of increase in this population is high in almostall northern regions, even those in eastern Queenslandwith currently low proportions. According to censusresults, the indigenous population in regional and remoteAustralia increased by 27.3 per cent between 1991 and1996, compared with a 48.0 per cent increase in metropolitanareas. However, about half this increase was due to peopleidentifying as Aboriginal in 1996 but not in 1991.

Families, youth and schoolingBetween 1991 and 1996 the number of people under 15years of age increased by 2.2 percent nationally. However,this figure varied significantly between regions, with littlerelationship to either the base population or its indigenouscomponent.

In some areas this young component declined,especially in Queensland, while in the Northern Territory

growth of this age group was on average particularlystrong. Overall, the strongest growth of this age groupoccurred along the east coast and in the south-west, andespecially in the outer urban areas.

The proportion of single-parent families with depend-ents across most of northern Australia is very high (12.2per cent) when compared to the national average (10.1 percent ) in most regions, but then notably lower in easternQueensland which is generally less than 8.1 per cent.

This partially relates to a higher incidence of single-parent families among indigenous people, but also reflectsthe high degree of isolation in these areas leading to higherthan average rates of family break-ups. However, the nextmap in the series shows that these proportions are on theincrease in almost all regions, including easternQueensland.

Northern Australia generally has a low proportion of16-year olds attending school; this may reflect in part thefact that many move elsewhere for high school education.This is paralleled in low levels of tertiary education amonginhabitants in most areas of the north, though this mayresult from tertiary educated people staying in citiesbecause of better wages and job opportunities.

Male to female ratioInland Australia generally has a very high male to femaleratio compared with the Australian average, and the northis no exception. The overall Australian average is 98 malesto 100 females, rural Australia is 101:100, but almost allnorthern regions exceed this, often reaching 125:100 andeven 150:100.

Government benefitsThe proportion of families receiving government benefitsis high in many regions in the north and notably low inothers. This partially correlates with indigenouspopulation concentrations, but there are other con-tributing factors. As the atlas notes, government financial

Map 80Map 79

Continued on page 7

The BRS Social Atlas is printed in colour. The maps in this newsletter have been adjusted for black and whiteprinting. Please visit the BRS website to view the maps online at: www.brs.gov.au/social_sciences/atlas.html


forum

What is important to you about being a northernpastoralist?

For me life in northern Australia is about threethings: for cattle, for country and for kids. The threeare closely linked. Country is probably the centraldriver because the environment of northernAustralia is so strong, so unique and so over-powering that it drives our abilities and our attitudesto work and play.

What was the industry like when you came here?

When I first came to the Territory there were fewfences, large pastoral leases and lots of uncontrolleddomestic and feral stock. There were also huge areasof under-utilised country (such as the Sturt Plateau)where no use was made of the resource because ofthe conventional wisdom that there was “no water”.

Our history was with few exceptions one of numbersof cattle as first priority and the amount and quality ofgrass that they ran on as a distant second. There wasvirtually no range management research carried out in theKatherine region prior to the late 1980s.

So what are the challenges confronting the northernpastoral industry?

Pastoralism is the major user and manager of the tropicalsavannas and will continue to be so. The challenge forthe northern pastoral industry is to ensure that ourresources are potentially the same in 2000 years as theyare after 100 plus years of pastoral use. I have seen theeffects of 2000 years of over-use in other parts of theworld and it is not a pretty sight. Grazing and socialpractices used at about the time when the great holy bookswere being written have not stood the test of time—andyet there are still plenty of followers. There are plentywho would argue that 200 years has been enough insouthern Australia. It is my opinion—compared to theeffort put into improved pasture and forage systems—rangelands or extensive native pasture has been theprodigal child of the northern beef industry. We are finallystarting to recognise the importance and strength of ourrangelands systems for the northern beef industry.What shape is the northern pastoral industry in?

When you see some of the former grassy landscapes ofthe old world, it is clear that we are more technologicallyadvanced and have a much greater understanding of theforces driving production and sustainability in ournorthern savannas. We are relatively knowledge rich andtechnologically well supplied. However, it is also clearthat we are in the luxurious position of relative youth andlow population densities. We are also in the very strongposition of being able to learn from others mistakes.

So what is different about being a pastoralist today?

We are now in a much stronger and more knowledgeableposition on the management of our native pasture thanksto having more time for management, the development of

more profitable markets and some relevant research anddevelopment work. Our local producer group, the SturtPlateau Best Practice Group Inc. provides an example.When the group first got together in 1994–95 we had, forexample, about 16 different opinions on the use of fire.We got involved with some NHT (Natural Heritage Trust)and MLA (Meat & Livestock Australia) funded researchand demonstrations over the next five years. When wereviewed our Best Practice Manual in 1999, we found wehad general agreement on the role and management offire. Some people had changed their management practices180 degrees.What sort of knowledge is available to help you meetthese management challenges?

We now have available in the Katherine region grassproduction models specific to soil type which enable youto estimate quantity and quality of grass from seasonalrainfall. We have learned that country in poorer conditionwill not respond to rainfall as efficiently as country ingood condition. We have photo point monitoringsystems. We are judged on how well we look after theresource—not on how much development we do.

Do pastoralists in northern Australia have any sort ofcompetitive advantage over other beef producers?

Native pasture is the great sustainable competitiveadvantage of the northern beef industry; greater than anygenetic infusion of Brahman or Charolais genes, greaterthan any exchange rate, supplementation or HGP treatment,greater than any grazing gimmickry you might subscribeto. It is where the value-adding occurs; we can turn arenewable resource into protein from a low-cost base.

So things are pretty good. What more needs to be done?

This question has been addressed within the NorthAustralia Beef Research Council (NABRC) and variousregional councils across the north. They decided the needsfor the northern industry are a mix of improved prod-uctivity, understanding our resource base and ensuringwe have markets and are able to meet their specifications.

The view from Sunday Creek

Tom and Bev Stockwell, who run Sunday Creek Station in the Sturt Plateauregion of the Northern Territory

Savanna Links talks to pastoralist Tom Stockwell on thenorthern beef industry �s rewards and challenges.


You are absolutely dependent on sustaining the naturalecosystems. Is the industry doing enough to protect them?

That the vast majority of the savannas are in goodcondition suggests that the industry is doing and hasdone enough. I’m not convinced that this will be goodenough for the future however.

In terms of obtaining a balance between production,resources and people (the cattle, the country and the kids)I believe that as an industry we have invested significantlyin improving our knowledge of resource management overrecent times. The industry’s continuing commitment tothis CRC is one example of this. There are also numerousprograms devoted to improving resource management ata range of levels such as the learning our district grouphas done on improving our fire, pasture and water-pointmanagement. The increasing use of pasture monitoringand modelling of seasonal pasture growth to improve ourability to use resources sustainably. Many producers arenow involved in groups that actively aim to learn moreabout managing their enterprises and properties.

For the future I think we need to be able to prove, in atransparent way, to the markets and consumers that weare producing healthy products from a healthy environ-ment. In this way the good management of naturalresources will be valuable in the market place and theindustry will be rewarded.

What can an industry based on native pastures do tostay profitable?

In an age of increasing energy costs, the energy availablein our native pastures becomes even more valuable. Thegreater the cost of energy in the future, the more importantit will become to use ruminant animals to convert energyin grass to protein and energy for human consumption.

I believe our pasture resources and our low-inputphilosophy are the greatest opportunities and strengthsof our industry. As the price of energy rises, our ability touse natural and renewable systems in a sustainable waywill be a terrific natural advantage. If for no other reasonI think we should continue to try to better understandwhat drives sustainable production in rangelands. I believeit to be a relatively simple system and we could getourselves into trouble trying to make it complicated.

While the technology is and will increasingly becomeavailable to model and forecast seasonal variations andthe effects of different management strategies, I think thegreatest benefits will come in understanding how to matchthe production system with the resource to meet themarkets with some sort of flexibility.

There is also a significant opportunity to attractconsumers and community support by producing foodfrom a natural system which is energy efficient andmanages the natural resources sustainably.

cities and overseas. John Holmesdescribed this as the phenomenon as‘geographical transfer of resources’.

It includes tourism companies re-taining the majority of profits incapital city headquarters, and miningcompanies developing fly in-fly outcommunities that take most of theirspending money (and mineral profits)back to the coast.

The pastoral industry on the otherhand tends to reinvest a greaterproportion of its profits within theregion. In many areas Aboriginalinvestments, originally derived frommining royalties and other sources,are now the most substantial con-tributor to local economies afterpublic finance.

A critical message is that there isan immense diversity among theregions of northern Australia, in termsof socio-economics and culturure aswell as biophysical characteristics.

Holmes (1997) has analysedcurrent trends in remoter Australianregions, to suggest a diversity offutures, from core pastoral regions,through ‘frontier regions in flux’, tothose clearly dominated by indig-enous homelands, or an urban focuslinked to mining or tourism.

Northern future: managing diversity land management

Country Matters, A Social Atlas of Rural andregional Australia is published by the Bureau ofRural Sciences, Australia. Cost is $40.Contact AFFA ShopfrontTel: (02) 6272 5550 or 1800 020 157Fax: (02) 6272 5771Email: [email protected]: www.brs.gov.au/social_sciences/atlas.html

transfers are important to the localeconomies of many areas.

Health and socio-economicadavantageNorthern Australia has uniformlydesperate health statistics comparedto the rest of the continent, includingrural areas in the south. The infantmortality rate is considered a goodindicator of general socio-economicwell-being. While Australia has lowinfant mortality rates (6.8 per 1000 livebirths for non-metropolitan areas and5.8 for metropolitan areas) these ratesvary considerably in non-metro-politan regions, with rates increasingwith remoteness.

Northern Australia has low levelsof ‘socio-economic advantage’ (Map79) compared to the rest Australiawhich may reflect in part the sub-stantial indigenous population, anda high remoteness index (Map 80).

Management, policy and researchNorthern Australia, like much of therest of rural Australia, depends onmoney from government, financed inpart from the more populated regionsin the south. Conversely, much of theresources taken out of northern Aust-ralia disappear completely into the

From p. 5

This article is based on a paper given by MarkStafford Smith, CSIRO Centre for Arid ZoneResearch, at the Northern Grassy LandscapesConference, in Katherine, August 2000.

There is an urgent need to rec-ognise the difference between regionsand to project possible scenarios ofwhere the futures of these differentregions may lead given differentlevels and types of public invest-ments.

In northern Australia as else-where, the failure to properly accountfor these differences could lead topolicy paralysis and eventual in-equity as regions develop at differentrates.

This is not to suggest that allshould be the same—they never willbe—but a sense of the northerncommunity will only be maintained ifthe development paths, and theinvestments that pave them, arecreated through transparent proc-esses shared by all regions.


riparian

Riparian systems—riverside animals and plants—

are critical components of Australia’s tropical savanna landscapes. They contain a substantial proportion of the savannas’ biodiversity and

are a focus for all sorts of activities that include pastoral,tourist and agricultural industries. The TS–CRC project,led by Dr Tony Start, from WA’s Conservation and LandManagement (CALM), with help from Dr Karl-HeinzWyrwoll of the University of WA, his research studentsand technical officer, Tricia Handasyde, used the Ord’sriparian systems as a model to better understand savannariparian systems generally. However, the team’s researchwill also be used to help manage the Ord itself, and inplanning for Stage 2 of the Ord Irrigation scheme (seestory on Ord Irrigation Scheme, opposite page.)

The Ord River irrigation scheme began in 1963 when adiversion dam was built on the Ord River at Kununurra toprovide water for irrigation. The scheme came into fulloperation in 1973, when the second dam was completedat Lake Argyle, and the artificial lake was filled. The lake,about 62.5 km long and 45 km wide, stores wet-seasonflows which are released at regular intervals into thediversion dam, keeping the latter at a constant level. Whilesome of the water is diverted to farms, much of it is releasedinto the lower Ord. The scheme also provides hydro-electricity.

Riverside vegetation thrivingThe total area of riverside vegetation downstream of thedams is now substantially larger than it was. Many of thenow common and widespread vegetation species andcommunities were previously restricted to small ‘refuge’patches. These new and dynamic vegetation zones nowprovide habitat for many species of birds, including

growing numbers of the buff-sided robin, recentlyremoved from the endangered species list. The changingnature of the river itself means that the number of otherfauna species, including crocodiles, turtles and barramundihas increased.

River flow transformedBefore the dam’s construction the river’s environment wasdominated by its ‘dry-tropics’ character, and its flow wasstrongly seasonal. Huge floods occurred every two tothree years, while in the dry season surface water wasrestricted to pools. During floods, water up to 50 feetdeep would roar down the channel, shifting massivequantities of sediment and stripping vegetation from theriverbed. In contrast, during the dry, there would often beno flow at all. Not surprisingly, the dynamics of the river’sflow determined where vegetation was established.

Since the dam’s construction, the river has beentransformed into one with a much more even temperament;it is now akin to a wet-tropics river. Water levels are nowfairly constant and there are no longer periods where theriver does not flow.

This effect is almost the inverse that seen in mostother dams, where the wall cuts off the supply of water toareas below, devastating the habitats of plants and animalsthat had relied on the river’s continuous flow. In the caseof the lower Ord, the regular flow has created a favourableenvironment for aquatic and riparian vegetation tocolonise, in turn allowing more sediment to be depositedin the riverbed. New vegetation is now established moreor less continuously along the riverbanks and on newlyformed islands. This process has not yet reachedequilibrium as vegetated bars are continuing to encroachinto the channel.

As a result of the regulated flow, the relationshipbetween vegetation and the river’s processes is completelyreversed. Riverside vegetation now exerts a very stronginfluence over where and how the river depositssediments.

Gums, coolabahs declineMany of the vegetation communities have expanded withthe changes to the river, but some (see boxed story on the2000 flood) have been degenerating. In particular,vegetation that exists high on the riverbank, includingriver gums Eucalyptus camaldulensis and coolabahs E.microtheca, require regular flooding to regenerate andare now diminishing.The lack of flooding in these zones has also lead to

The Ord: A river in transitionThe Ord River Irrigation Scheme, now in its 38th year of operation,changed the lower Ord from a seasonally dry river that carried hugefloods in wet years to one with fairly constant water levels and acontinuous flow. While negative impacts have occurred above thedam wall and in the Cambridge Gulf, a TS�CRC project has foundthe changed flow conditions have had significant benefits for thelower Ord�s riverside ecology. Management implications of theseongoing changes are, however, unclear.

New riparian vegetation on the banks of the lower Ord River

By Kathryn Thorburn


significant invasion by a wide range of weeds includingpassion vine and buffel grass. In the dry season, theseweeds act to carry fire into the vegetation growing highup on the banks.

Changing channel dynamicsThe process of change occurring on the lower Ord is byno means complete, and it is difficult to predict where itwill end. At present however, a growing number ofbarramundi fishers and tour operators, who rely on anavigable river, are complaining that the river is becomingtoo shallow for safe passage in many parts. The mouth ofthe river is also getting shallower—the massive tides ofthe Cambridge Gulf continually dump muddy silt at themouth which was previously washed out regularly by thebig pre-dam floods.

Flood pulses for managementGenerating flood pulses is seen by some as a managementoption to achieve a variety of objectives including:

• maintaining navigability of the river for fishing andother uses; flushing cumbungi (Typha domingensis)and ribbon weed, aquatic weeds which have built upbecause of stable water levels;

• recreating conditions so riparian vegetation such asriver gums can regenerate high on banks. However,weed invasion and fire regimes may now preventseedlings establishing even if sufficient floods couldbe provided;

• controlling exotic weeds on riverbanks. While there issome evidence that regular flooding may removesome weed species, it may act to spread others.

It is now impossible to turn back the clock and provide

floods as large and as frequent as those of old. Yet smallerfloods may wash away the benefits of the current regimewithout achieving the management goals.

“We will have to be very careful,” says Tony Start,“not to end up with a lose-lose situation for everyone.”

Future of the lower OrdLast year Tony Start and Karl-Heinz Wyrwoll produced aseries of scenarios for the Western Australian Water andRivers Commission that examined the impact on riparianvegetation and sedimentation of various flows, eitherincreasing or decreasing the total volume of water movingdown the river—all of these would have very differentimpacts on vegetation and channel dynamics.

The commission is currently determining ecologicalwater requirements of the lower Ord so that it can constructa water allocation plan. This would identify water volumeto be released down the river and how this could beengineered given the water needs for the Ord Stage 2irrigation scheme.

The project’s research findings will also form acomponent of the Ord Bonaparte Project (a major initiativeof Land & Water Australia, the Fisheries Research &Development Corporation and CSIRO for integratedresearch in the region). As well, the Ord Land and Waterproject (a community-driven, NHT-funded project) isdrawing up an issues document for managing the Ord.

The curious issue for Tony Start is that a naturalresource of ecological and economic value has now beencreated—but does the fact that this habitat was createdartifically make it less worthy of protection? After all, asTony points out, the area’s original values were alsochanged by human factors: stock, weeds and fire. Thequestion now appears to be: what are the values to be

conserved when considering the manage-ment of a totally altered environment?

These new values will need to beconsidered in the debate about the futureparameters of the Ord 2 Scheme, as well asthe future management of the lower Orditself.

Ord Irrigation SchemeLake Argyle is the largest artificial lake in Australia, its huge reservoir collecting the wet season rains andstoring them for use during the dry. Water is released continuously through hydro-turbines into the diversiondam, keeping the latter at a constant level. While some of the water is diverted to farms, much of it is releasedinto the lower Ord. Lake Argyle is about 62.5 km long and 45 km wide, its total area covering 745 km2 andcontaining 96 islands. It holds 10,760 million cubic metres�triple that when in flood, and its total storagecapacity is 18 times that of Sydney Harbour.

Ord Stage 2, a joint project between the NT and WA governments, proposes to develop around another43,000 ha of irrigated land, which will mean constructing new supply channels from the diversion dam (fromwhich all water for irrigation is taken) as well as roads and other infrastructure. According to the KimberleyDevelopment Commission the scheme will generate many new jobs and potentially add up to $500 millionto the current annual income of $56 million from agricultural production on the irrigated lands.

Ex-Cyclone Steve: 2000 flood

Floods still occur yearly on the lower Ord but their size has decreasedmarkedly. However, in 2000 there was a major flood that tested theresilience of the new vegetation. While floods of pre-dam times wouldhave lasted days, if not weeks, floodwater in 2000 inundatedvegetation in the lower Ord for many months. Water escaped slowlyby the spillway, where it was about 6.5 metres deep at the flood�sheight. Most vegetation showed a remarkable resilience and allspecies present before the flood are now evident again. Somecommunities, especially aquatics and herbs were destroyed, butare now re-colonising the river from seed left on the banks by thereceding water. Boabs and some figs did not do so well, with manydying even where their crowns were above water. Other trees, thoughbadly battered, survived as long as some of the canopy was in theair. Ironically, 2001 is seeing an equally big wet but it remains to beseen before the effects can be ascertained .

Tony Start, Conservation & Land Management WATel: (08) 9168 4270 Fax: (08) 9168 2179Email: [email protected] to TS–CRC Website: http://savanna.ntu.edu.au(Research Section)Websites: Kimberley Development Commissionwww.kimberley.wa.gov.au/Springboard to the Kimberleywww.discoverwest.com.au/kunnun.html

1 0Savanna Links http://savanna.ntu.edu.au

CSIRO’s Andrew Ash and Mike Whiting at one of the study’s plots. The piperinging the plots sends CO2 over the vegetation. Two plots simulate current CO2

levels (370 parts per million), two will have 450 ppm—levels we’ll be living with inabout 30 years—and the last two 550 ppm, CO2, the level predicted for 2050.

vegetation

Rising CO2: what�s in store for the savannas?By Kate O�Donnell

The study, a collaboration between CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, James Cook University and Queensland Nickel Ind-

ustries (QNI), is the first of its kind not only in thesavannas, but also Australia. Called a Free AirCarbon Dioxide Enrichment study (FACE) it willpipe different levels of CO

2 over six 15 m round

plots, each containing native grasses and trees, over thenext five years. While there are a number of FACE studiesin operation overseas, only a couple involve natural orsemi-natural systems.

“Most are looking at crops, plantation forests andimproved pastures,” explained CSIRO’s Andrew Ash, oneof the leaders of the study. “From existing work we canprobably plot the growth of individual species. But wecan’t predict the response of what will happen betweenspecies in a real ecosystem. That is the real unknown, andone of great importance, that this study allows us to do.”

The project’s co-leader, JCU eco-physiologist JoeHoltum, will study potential impacts on plant physiology:from changes in competition between trees and grassesand between the grasses themselves, to changes in soilcomposition and plant defence mechanisms. In the longterm, he hopes to set up collaborative studies to examinewhat might happen to the insects that depend on theflowers and seeds of the plants.

Another issue the study will shed some light on isone of carbon storage by looking at carbon flow throughthe ecosystem. Australia’s savannas are important storesof carbon, and it is estimated they currently contain 33per cent of Australia’s terrestrial carbon overall, aproportion which may increase as CO

2 levels rise.

The study is situated next to QNI’s nickel plantatYabulu, 20 km north of Townsville. QNI has givensubstantial support to the project, providing land,infrastructure, electricity and CO

2—itself no small

contribution considering the project will use 1 to 1.5 tonnesof CO

2 per day over the life of the experiment, a prohibitive

cost for the researchers to meet themselves.The study area is dominated by tussock perennial

grasses with the main species being Kangaroo grass(Themeda triandra), Golden beard grass (Chrysopogonfallax) and Wanderrie grass (Eriachne obtusa). The plotsdo not have mature trees or shrubs in them so two nativespecies from the immediate area, Acacia holosericea (soapbush) and Eucalyptus crebra (narrow leaf ironbark) wereplanted to study tree-grass interactions.

Work performed on the effects of elevated CO2 on

savanna grasses—again by CSIRO and JCU—suggeststhat the grasses grow better because they use water moreefficiently under higher amounts of CO

2. If this is correct,

there may be more water available in the soil, and shrubsand trees could do better.

One of the potential results, says Andrew, might bean increased woody layer across the savannas. Anotheris that with greater water-use efficiency, savanna systemsmight become less prone to the effects of drought, andproduce a more stable supply of forage from year to year.The FACE study will help answer these questions.

“We’re also looking at the effect of grass quality andquantity from the pastoral perspective,” said Andrew. Theexperiment simulates grazing effects and high nutrientgrowing conditions as well as a more natural low-nutrientregime. “We know that under high CO

2 grass grows more,

but it could be at the expense of forage quality. You mightbe able to grow more, but animals might not do as well.”

The grazing simulation will also help give a betterpicture of just how grazing affects carbon storage. Apartfrom the woody layer, most carbon is actually stored underperennial grasses. So, if these grasses are overgrazed, alot of carbon will be lost from the system.

Joe will be examining the physiology of how the treesand grasses compete against each other under differentconditions. “We want to see what the new equilibrium is,to see how they function physiologically,” he explained.“That will eventually relate to the rates of growth, and theproductivity of the whole savanna.” Another variable iscompetition between grasses. For example, if annualgrasses start performing better, they may start out-competing perennial grasses.

The project leaders are both keen to develop collab-orative research with other institutions and scientists. Onesuch collaborative study that might begin soon is on plantdefence mechanisms. Plants growing under high CO

2 tend

to allocate carbon and nitrogen—the building blocks oftheir protein—differently. As the plant generally doesbetter, it doesn’t need to put as much nitrogen into protein.Instead, the extra nitrogen may go towards producingmore defensive compounds against the creatures that eatit, which may result in quite different food ranges for theanimals and insects that live off the plants. StephanieBrown, a JCU/TS–CRC Honours student, has alreadybegun measurements of seedlings and will be spendingthe year measuring plant responses to elevated CO

2.

A study outside Townsville is examiningthe potential effects on savannavegetation of rising CO2 levels.

Contact: Andrew Ash, CSIRO Sustainable EcosystemsTel: (07) 4753 8540 Fax: (07) 4753 8600 Email: [email protected] Holtum, James Cook UniversityTel: (07) 4781 4391 Fax: (07) 4725 1570 Email: [email protected]

1 1 January–March 2001

On Aboriginal Jawoyn lands near Katherine in the Northern Territory, Josh found substantial harvesting of stems for didjeridus, despite the fact that commercial harvesting in

this area is illegal. These stems are mostly taken bycommercial cutters with little or no affiliation withAboriginal groups of central and eastern Arnhem Landwho regard themselves as the originators of theinstrument. The total production of instruments by non-Aboriginal people may run into the tens, and perhapshundreds, of thousands every year.

The techniques and volume of modern harvests differhugely from traditional harvesting. These involved smallgroups of Aboriginal men using axes to collect the stemsof several species of Eucalypt (E. miniata, E. tetradontaand E. phoenicea) and a native bamboo (Bambusaarnhemica). The Eucalypts tend to have branchesnaturally hollowed by termites, while the bamboo isnaturally hollow, an attribute considered essential for anauthentic didj sound. Traditionally, tree limbs wereselected carefully to ensure that the impact was minimal.The harvest volume was limited to what men could carry.

Now harvests take the form of groups of people, oftennon-indigenous, collecting the stems of various specieswith chainsaws and transporting dozens of stems in fourwheel drives and even helicopters. In addition to the totalvolume of material being removed, Josh also is concernedabout the sheer intensity of the commercial cutters’ stemharvest. “I have come across tracts of land where thetrees have hardly any limbs left,” he said. “Some are felledone foot from the ground. The impact on the treepopulation is plain enough to see, but there are also manybirds and animals relying on these hollow limbs for shelterand nesting. It is much harder to measure these effects interms of the broader ecology.”

Josh plans to leave aside the obvious issues ofintellectual property rights that commercial harvestingraises. Instead, he is assessing the actual and potentialimpacts of current harvest regimes on populationdynamics of Eucalyptus woodlands. He is also looking atmethods for estimating the distribution and density oftree species suitable for didjeridu harvest.

Recent research into the harvest of

native timbers for the didjeridu market

suggest that it may be reaching

unsunstainable levels in some areas

of the NT�s Top End. A former TS�CRC

Honours student Josh Forner is building

on his Honours work in a PhD examining

the impacts of current harvest levels

on these tree populations.

Where possible, Josh hopes to involve local Aborig-inal people in establishing experimental harvest plotswhich will be monitored using a combination of fieldecology and remote sensing technologies. His researchis being supported by the Key Centre for Tropical WildlifeManagement, the Parks and Wildlife Commission of theNorthern Territory, the Jawoyn Association and the NTURemote Sensing and GIS Group.

In the longer term, data from Josh’s work may beintegrated with other information to produce a frameworkto manage didjeridu harvests. This could form a blueprintfor harvests occurring in other parts of northern Australia.

indigenous issues

Illegal harvests blight traditional didjeridu trade

Staff from the PWCNT in Katherine are working withAboriginal people and didjeridu harvesters to create atagging scheme for the industry. Under this scheme theCommission would issue legitimate harvesters with tagsfor insertion into stems at harvest time. Each stem couldthen be followed through from harvest to point of sale. Itis hoped that the system will increase the value of taggedstems, by giving them greater legitimacy in the marketplace. A similar system is in place in Western Australia,where many stems are harvested around Kalgoorlie, andanother is being developed in Queensland.

By Kathryn Thorburn

Traditional harvesters ofstems for didjeridus use anaxe, are very selective andonly take a few branches.

Contact: Josh Forner, Key Centre for Tropical Wildlife ManagementTel: (08) 8946 6713; Email: [email protected]

Eucalyptus tintinans illegally harvested in theYinberrie Hills. No permits are issued forharvesting in this area as these trees supportone of the last remaining populations of theendangered gouldian finch. Further, this treewas cut at the main stem rather than thesustainable method of cutting from the branch.

Josh

For

ner

Josh

For

ner


savanna bites

Twenty-year strategic plan for Gulf regionA COMPREHENSIVE development plan for the Gulf ofCarpentaria is set to provide the strategic framework forthe region over the next 20 years. The Gulf RegionalDevelopment Plan (GRDP) has been endorsed by theQueensland Cabinet and the Gulf Regional PlanningAdvisory Committee and was prepared by key stake-holders and all levels of Government, as well ascommunities in the Gulf. The plan addresses key issuesconfronting the region including: native title protocols;economic development; management of the environmentand natural resources; community services and develop-ment and the provision of infrastructure. The Gulf regioncovers a vast area of north-west Queensland along thesouthern waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria and east to theNorthern Territory border. Copies can be obtained fromthe Cairns office of the Department of Local Governmentand Planning or from Local Council offices in the region.

Go to Gulf Regional Development Plan:www.mediablue.com.au/archive/clients/dlgp/grdp.htmSavanna Explorer: http://savanna.ntu.edu.au/information/savannaexplorer.html; choose Gulf Country.

Satellite imagery manages bushfiresDATA and images from the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration and from the Landsat satelliteare proving vital tools for the Northern Territory BushfiresCouncil in responding to wildfires and monitoring potentialhotspots. NT Minister for Parks and Wildlife, Mike Reed,said remote sensing data and images were used extensivelyin the latest bushfire season to monitor wildfires and toprovide post-fire analysis. Satellite imagery played animportant role in determining the Bushfire Council’sresponse to a fire near a pastoral property in CentralAustralia last year, with the Fire Control Officer monitoringthe blaze via images taken from space. While the fireactivity was substantial the NT Bushfires Council was

able to use the imagery to determine if fire scars from theyear before would act as a secure firebreak protecting thepastoral property. This information led to a decision notto dispatch resources as the fire would burn out intopreviously fire-damaged country with reduced com-bustible material. Satellite images will now provide thefoundation for identifying options for strategically joiningfire scars to limit the spread of wildfires in the future. It isalso envisaged they will assist with identifying high fuelload areas to be targeted for fuel reduction programs.

Web: www.nt.gov.au/bfc

Rebates for renewable energy on Qld propertiesFAMILIES on properties in Western and NorthernQueensland are now eligible for an energy rebate valuedat up to $175,000 through the joint Commonwealth/Queensland Government Renewable Remote PowerGeneration Program. The scheme provides rebates of upto 65 per cent for families to install renewable energytechnologies at sites not serviced by the main electricitygrid, reducing their reliance on diesel power generation.The scheme provides individual rebates for family-ownedproperties in 14 western and northern Queensland shires:Barcoo, Boulia, Bulloo, Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry,Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Mareeba, McKinlay, MountIsa, Quilpie and Winton.

Contact: Energy Advisory Service on 1300 369 388, quotingthe Working Property Rebate Scheme.

E-Commerce in Rural Australia: The real storyE-COMMERCE in rural Australia remains in the early stagesof development. A new Rural Industries Research andDevelopment Corporation (RIRDC) report, E-commercein Rural Areas: Case Studies, shows that some ruralbusinesses are successfully using the internet for a broadrange of activities. This includes email communication,online banking and bill-paying, customs clearance, market

UP to 20 million ants, representing 100 different species, can be found in eachhectare of bush in northern Australia. However, up to three-quarters or more ofthe species are undescribed, and workable keys are unavailable for most describedspecies.

A new book—by CSIRO ecologist Dr Alan Andersen—now addresses this problemand is the first to describe the ants of northern Australia at the species level. It willhelp in the identification of the 1500 or so ant species occurring in the region. TheAnts of Northern Australia: a Guide to the Monsoonal Fauna aims to enableprofessional researchers (including graduate students, academics and appliedscientists) and knowledgeable amateurs to identify the ants occurring in monsoonalAustralia.

“Ants are being used as indicators in areas such as mine-site rehabilitation, off-sitemining impacts, grazing management and fire management,” says Alan. “Thebook will provide valuable support for land managers wishing to use ants as bio-indicators, as well as for environmental researchers.”

Cost: $34.95 plus $9.00 postage and handling.

To order a copy contact CSIRO publishing on Tel: 1800 645 051.

To read more about Alan Andersen’s research on invertebrates in the savannasgo to: http://savanna.ntu.edu.au/research/projects/vechange.html

The Ants of Northern Australia

The book’s illustrations are by Peter Jacklyn, the TS–CRC’s Communication Coordinator


research, product promotion, document delivery, on-linesales, industry promotion and support, business-to-business trading and supply chain management. Formany, email is now an integral part of business operations,quickly supplanting traditional forms of communicationsand generating substantial cost-savings. This wasparticularly marked in businesses operating in inter-national markets.

Summary: www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HCC/00-185sum.htmlThe full report can also be downloaded free from this page.Copies of this report can be also ordered from RIRDCTel: (02) 6272 4819 for $15, plus postage.

Cutting edge website on climate changeTHE UK’s Meteorology Office’s website containsimpressive moving graphics on climate change and carbonmodelling. Also included is an update on recent researchfrom UK’s Hadley Centre, including patterns and trendsin climate change, modelling the carbon cycle, and thevariable effects of using forests as carbon sinks.According to TS–CRC researcher Lindsay Hutley, theHadley Centre is at the cutting edge of modelling climatechange. “Their recent work is what is driving newpredictions of a much greater warming (up to 6 deg) thanthought a year ago,” he said. (See Cox, P.M., Betts, R.A.,Jones, C.D., Spall, S.A., Totterdell, I.J., ‘Acceleration ofglobal warming due to carbon-cycle feedbacks in a coupledclimate model’, Nature, 408(6809): pp. 184-187, 2000.)Go to: www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/hadleycentre/pubs/brochures/B2000/index.html

ReadingWeed Management SystemsAustralian Weed Management Systems,edited by B.M. Sindel, claims to be the firstAustralian textbook on integrated weedmanagement for students, researchers andmanagers of agriculture and natural eco-systems.

It is produced by the CRC for WeedManagement Systems where a variety ofexperts have contributed selected chapters intheir areas of expertise.

The textbook was developed in associationwith the new CRC-initiated undergraduatecourse in IWM which is being taught at theUniversity of Adelaide, University of NewEngland and Charles Sturt University. Price$32.90 plus $10 postage in Australia.Web: www.weedinfo.com.auTel/Fax: (03) 5286 1533Email: [email protected]

Greenhouse tradingGreenhouse Gas Emissions Trading:Allocation of Permits, a report from theAustralian Greenhouse Office, outlinespossible methods of allocating permits to emitgreenhouse gases under an emission tradingregime. Questions explored include: How willentities acquire the tradeable permits theyrequire to acquit for their emissions of

greenhouse gases? Will permits be sold bythe Government or will they be allocated bysome administrative process? If permits aredistributed by administrative means, to whomwill they be allocated?Web: www.greenhouse.gov.au.

Landcare reportThe Bureau of Rural Sciences has released areport that concludes that while Landcare hasbeen an important factor in improving land-management practices, making farmingsystems more sustainable will be a slowprocess that will require more than voluntarymeasures.

Influencing Improved Natural ResourceManagement on Farms, by researchers NeilBarr and John Cary, concluded that theimpact of Landcare had probably peaked andthat it was “unrealistic to expect any greaterdegree of penetration of the farming comm-unity than has been achieved”.

The report found that factors such as financialcapacity, skills, financial returns andmotivation influenced the adoption ofsustainable practices more than notions ofaltruism, and that individual farmers tended tounderestimate the extent of soil degradation ontheir own farms.

It warned that the barriers preventing farmers

from changing their practices were “over-whelmingly structural”, and that mostbroadacre farms did not produce sufficienteconomic surplus to encourage investment innatural resource management and theenvironment.

You can download the report from the Bureauof Rural Sciences atwww.affa.gov.au/corporate_docs/publications/pdf/rural_science/nat_resource_mgt.pdfTel: (02) 6272 4282 Fax: (02) 6272 4747Email: [email protected]

Plants of AustraliaPlants of Importance to Australia—AChecklist, complied by R.C.H. Shepherd,R.G. Richardson and F.J. Richardson,provides an accurate botanical name,authority, family and a preferred commonname for each plant that is or may be ofimportance to Australia.

The species chosen include weeds of bothagriculture and the environment; crop speciesof all sorts and ornamental species that have,or may, become environmental weeds. Morethan 12,000 common names are listed.

Cost is $33, plus $10 postage in Australia.Order from Web: www.weedinfo.com.au orcontact the Victorian publishers:

Tel/Fax: (03) 5286 1533.

Call to Rural PoetsThe Queensland DPI Women in Rural Industries Unit isseeking poems about rural women for its next edition of AVision for Change: Women Working for the Future ofRural Queensland 2001.

Email your poems with your relevant contact details to NareeWood. Fax: (07) 3239 3685; Email: [email protected]

Mimosa pigra found in QueenslandMIMOSA pigra has been found outside Northern Territoryfor the first time. About 500 plants were found at PeterFaust Dam near Proserpine—about 250 km south ofTownsville—in Queensland in February. A six-person crewfrom the Queensland Department of Natural Resourcesand Mines led efforts in eradicating the weed over a two-week period. Mimosa pigra is a Weed of NationalSignificance and has infested more than 80,000 hectaresof wetlands in the NT. The outbreak at Peter Faust Dam isthe only confirmed infestation of mimosa pigra outsidethe NT. All seed pods were collected from the plants atthe site and about 1.5 tonnes of plant material werecollected and incinerated. An extensive survey of theimmediate catchment area took place and further surveyswill be conducted in September to ensure no furtherseeding plants remain. Seeds are known to stay viable inthe soil for a minimum of 30 years and possibly as long as50 years. From a distance, Mimosa pigra looks similar toprickly acacia or common mimosa.

Go to DNR website: www.dnr.qld.gov.au


MayMareeba: National Action Plan for Salinity &Water Quality Public Information MeetingMay 2, 9am-2.30pmVenue: Dept. Primary Industries Mitchell Room, MareebaContact: Christine Murphy, Dept of Natural Resourcesand Mines.Tel: (07) 4048 4850Web: www.dnr.qld.gov.au

National Science Week4–13 May 2001,Nation-wideTheme: Celebrating international biodiversity observationyear

Web: www.scienceweek.info.au

4th International Conference on EnvironmentalChemistry and Geochemistry in the Tropics7–11 May 2001, Townsville

Venue: Jupiters Townsville Hotel and Casino

Theme: Geochemical cycles of the elements on land andsea in the tropics: Implications for global and regionalchange.

Purpose: The key objective of the conference series is tocritically analyse successes and failures associated withenvironmental chemical and geochemical research in thetropics. Also, the conference presents an excellentopportunity to share research results and applications inpractice, to debate research theories and strategies, tonetwork, and to stimulate needs-driven research and thedevelopment of technology .

Contact: Dr A. D. NobleCSIRO Land and WaterPostal: PMB PO AitkenvaleQLD 4814 AustraliaTel: (07) 4753 8555 Fax: (07) 4753 8600Email: [email protected]: www.tvl.clw.csiro.au/geotrop2001/

CRC Association Conference15–17 May 2001, PerthVenue: Novotel Langley Hotel, Perth

Theme: CRC Research & Development—Return onInvestment”.

Main objectives are the promotion of the CRC Programthrough CRC achievements; involvement of key stakeholders/decision makers; helping to advance cooperationin R&D across Australia; self-help for CRCs

Tel: (08) 9333 6272 Fax: (08) 9333 6146Email: [email protected]: www.crc.asn.au

12th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference21–25 May 2001, Melbourne, VictoriaVenue: Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre

Contact: Convention Associates Pty. Ltd.Postal: 13 Jeffrey St, Mt Waverley, Victoria 3149Tel: (03) 9887 8003 Fax: (03) 9887 8773Email: [email protected]

Fire and Land-Management Issues28–31 May, 2001Jabiru, Northern Territory

Venue: Gagudju Crocodile Hotel, Jabiru, NT, KakaduNational Park.

The conference will be of interest to land managers,pastoralists, resource management researchers andstudents, adult educators, community organisations,policy makers and others interested in the present practicesusing fire as a land management tool.

The conference will focus on land-management issues;indigenous initiatives; urban/rural; fire and biodiversity.The program includes field based presentations, floodplain burning experience, information sharing discussionsand poster sessions. Guest speakers will include ArnhemLand indigenous land managers, fire ecologists andpractising rangeland managers.

Contact: Helen SpiersTel: (08) 8979 2257 Email: [email protected]: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~vivmohanram/index.html

JuneGroundwater Quality 200118–21 June 2001, Sheffield, UKThis research-based international conference addressesthe newest understanding of natural and enhancedrestoration regarding pollutants in groundwater and soils.

Contact: The SecretariatEmail: [email protected] Web: www.shef.ac.uk

JulyGeospatial Information and AgricultureConference17–19 July 2001, SydneyVenue: Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh, Sydney.

This conference aims to provide leading-edge reports onthe improvement of agricultural and associated landmanagement decisions that result from using informationdelivered by geospatial technologies.

Geospatial information is produced by a range ofgeospatial technologies to assist in, for example:

· precision agriculture;· remote sensing and geographic information

systems (GIS);· finding the best location for new enterprises;· predicting potential threats from new pests and

diseases.The link in this set of technologies is that they produceinformation that could be presented as maps. Mappingfacilitates management decisions where the level orlocation of activities may be varied across a paddock, aproperty or a region.

Who should attend:

· Leading farmers;· Agricultural consultants;· Agribusiness;· Landcare;

calendar


technology, arts and the media, and community projects.The Interpretation Australia Association (IAA) is anational non-profit organisation with professional andnon-professional membership. It has affiliations withHeritage Interpretation International, which representsinterpreters internationally.

The program will interest people who advocate, practice,or are learning about interpretation including peopleinvolved with the tourist industry, parks, cultural sites,homelands, historic sites, museums, botanic gardens, artgalleries, visitor centres, information centres, communityeducation services, educational institutions as well ascontractors who work on interpretation projects.

The conference will be relevant to tour managers andguides, rangers, education and community educationofficers, and people involved with community projectssuch as World Wildlife Fund, Greening Australia, LandCare, Water Watch, Bush Care, and Coast Watch.

Contact: Robin MacGillivray, Conference Convenor.Tel: (08) 8999 4408 Web: www.vicnet.net.au/~interpozPostal: Eileen BoocockAction Enterprises PO Box 1381Alice Springs NT 0870Tel:/Fax: (08) 8952 4061Email: [email protected]

3rd International Conference on LandDegradation and the Meeting of the IUSS Sub-commission C: Land Degradation: New Trendstowards Global Sustainability17–21 September 2001, BrazilVenue: Hotel Glória, Rio de Janeiro

Recognizing and assessing land degradation wasimportant in establishing the IUSS Working Group onLand Degradation that resulted in International Con-ferences on Land Degradation. The focus of thisconference is:

• monitoring land quality and global climate changes;

• land-use ethics;

• social implications of land degradation;

• land reclamation technologies; and

• public policies to achieve sustainable land use.

The Meeting of the IUSS Subcommission C–Soil andWater Conservation will be held as part of the conference.

Contact: Embrapa Solos - ICLD3Postal: c/o Beáta MadariConference SecretaryRua Jardim Botânico, 102422460-000 - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilTel/Fax: +55 21 294 8039Tel: +55 21 274 4999Fax: +55 21 274 5291Email: [email protected]: www.cnps.embrapa.br/icld3/

AIATSIS Indigenous Studies Conference18–20 September 2001, Canberra

Venue: Manning Clark Centre, Australian NationalUniversity, Canberra

Theme: The Power of Knowledge and the Resonance of

· Government agencies;· Researchers;· Land managers;· Catchment managers;· Natural resource managers;· Local government;· Information technology providers.A comprehensive trade exhibition will be held inconjunction with the conference. The exhibition will covera wide range of products and services in the field ofGeospatial Information.

Contact: Conference SecretariatPostal: GIA 2001 Conference SecretariatGPO Box 128Sydney NSW 2001Tel: (07) 55528677 Fax: (07) 55528895Email: [email protected]: www.giaconference.com

AugustAsian Wetland Symposium27–30 August 2001, Penang, Malaysia

Venue: City Bayview Hotel, Georgetown, Penang,Malaysia

Theme: Bringing Partnerships into Good Wetland Practice

The symposium will provide a much-needed platform toachieve the following objectives:

• To review and discuss the trends and emergingissues in the wise use of wetlands, their resourcesand biodiversity in the Asia- Pacific region;

• To formulate guidelines and recommendations ofgood practices in wetland management and conserva-tion in the region;

• To explore opportunities for developing strategiccooperation between universities and researchorganisations and developing collaboration andregional capacity in wetland conservation.

Web: http://aws2001.domainvalet.com

3rd Australian Stream Management Conference:‘The value of healthy streams’27–29 August 2001, Brisbane

Themes include: (i) ecosystem services; (ii) hydrologicalconnectivity; (iii) biophysical integration; and (iv) toolsand techniques. Conference will be held in conjunctionwith this year’s Brisbane River Symposium.

Contact: John Amprimo, Conference convenorTel: (07) 322 47668Email: [email protected]

SeptemberThe National conference of InterpretationAustralia3–7 September 2001, Alice Springs

Venue: Red Centre Resort, Alice Springs

Theme: Getting to the Heart of it: Connecting people toheritage.

The conference will focus on cultural and natural heritage,

Front & back cover designWWd [email protected]: (07) 4725 1361

ContactKate O�[email protected]: (07) 4781 5967Fax: (07) 4781 5515Tropical Savannas CRCJames Cook UniversityTownsville Qld 4811

ContactPeter [email protected]: (08) 8946 6285Fax: (08) 8946 7107Tropical Savannas CRCNorthern Territory UniversityDarwin NT 0909

Savanna Links is edited and produced bythe Tropical Savannas CRC. Articles canbe used with permission of the TS�CRC.Please email, or call numbers at right.

Views expressed in Savanna Links are notnecessarily those of the TS�CRC.

Printed by Prestige LithoTel: (07) 4771 4087Fax: (07) 4721 1432

Contact Tropical Savannas CRCNorthern Territory UniversityDARWIN NT 0909Tel: (08) 8946 6834 Fax: (08) 8946 7107Email: [email protected] Website: http: //savanna.ntu.edu.au

Tradition in Indigenous Studies’. There willbe formal papers, workshops, discussiongroups, debates, performances, and posterpresentations. Presentations are called for.Papers should address the conference theme,and issues relating to the symposia:

• A: Land, Resources and Knowledge;

• B: Knowledge and Tradition in theColonial Context;

• C: The Resonance of Tradition;Contact: Dr Graeme Ward, Research FellowPostal: AIATSIS, GPO Box 553Canberra ACT 2601Fax: (02) 6249 7714 Email: [email protected]

14th Australia-New Zealand ClimateForum18–21 September, DarwinVenue: Darwin Entertainment Centre

The main focus will be tropical climate:monitoring and prediction, the research andimpacts of climate on habitat, rainforests,building and construction, trade and weatherrelated natural hazards. The forum will discussmanagement, education and partnerships.

Contact: Hakeem ShaikTel: (08) 8920 3814Email: [email protected]: www.bom.gov.au/weather/nt/inside/anzcf_2001/index.shtml

OctoberAustralasian Pacific Extension NetworkConference3–5 October, ToowoombaVenue: University of Southern Queensland,Toowoomba

Theme: Contemporary extension as a powerfulvehicle for regional change.

Contact: Convener, John JamesTel: (07) 5460 1495Email: [email protected]: www.apen.org.au/apen2001

SeminarsTropical Ecosystems Research CentreVenue: CSIRO Conference RoomMcMillans Road, DarwinTime: 3.45 pm, Fridays (monthly)Contact: Barbara McKaigeTel: (08) 8944 8411 Fax: (08) 8944 8444Email: [email protected]: www.dar.dwe.csiro.au/seminars.asp

Friday, April 27, 2001

More than can be said: A study of pastoralists'learning.

Allan Arnott, Rebecca Benson & Dick Fell, TS–CRC, Darwin.

Friday, May 18, 2001

Can’t see the wood for the trees: The northernforest mapping project.

Chris Meakin and Dave Howe, NT Department ofLands, Planning and Environment, Darwin, NT

Friday, June 8, 2001

Come on baby light my fire: Habitat use bypartridge pigeons in the tropical savannas.

Fiona Fraser, Key Centre for Tropical WildlifeManagement, NTU, Darwin.

Friday, October 12, 2001

On the hop in the top: Foraging habits of agilewallabies.

Simon Stirrat, Parks & Wildlife Commission NT

CSIRO Seminars, TownsvilleVenue: Conference Room, Davies Lab.Time: 11am, FridaysContact: John GrossEmail: [email protected]

Queensland Herbarium seminars,Brisbane. Held on a monthly basis

Toowong, Brisbane, Qld 4066.

Contact: Dr Rod FenshamTel: (07) 3896 9547 Fax: (07) 3896 9624Email: [email protected]

Documents

Northern future: managing diversity• crc goes ahead • salinity plan • carbon credits • arnhem land ipa • hit website management 4–6 • northern future forum 6–7 •