Project Overview
This Project Will Deliver
Study Areas
Publications From This Project
Associated Reef Rescue R&D Research
Related External Research
Relevant Publications

Project Overview

Improving the ground cover on D class grazing land to reduce soil, water and nutrient losses requires mechanical intervention. The most cost effective mechanical treatments or the levels of reduction in erosion and nutrient loss are not well defined or quantified. Grazing management strategies are available to continue improvement from C class to B and A condition. This project aims to identify the effectiveness of mechanical interventions and review landholder attempts at rehabilitation of D class land condition (bare and scalded areas) in the Burdekin and Fitzroy reef catchments. Quantified data will support other reef recovery projects on the social and economic aspects of land management.

Log on to weather station and satellite camera.

This Project Will Deliver

• Review of previous demonstration sites and landholder experiences and regional literature in rehabilitating degraded grazing lands in the Burdekin and Fitzroy catchments. Due to paucity of collected quantitative data this will involve selective collection of pasture condition data and collation of experiential learning of the producers and agencies involved. Survey sites will include landholders receiving subsidised funding to rehabilitate degraded pastures, Landcare group sites, research trials and other relevant producer sites.
• Establish a field trial site in the Burdekin catchment to investigate mechanical disturbance effects on rehabilitating severely degraded, bare, D class grazing lands. This trial will have four levels of cultivation/disturbance treatments, including: a control and low, medium and high mechanical input levels, all with pasture reseeding. Another two field sites will be on successfully rehabilitated landtypes on two soil types in the Fitzroy catchment. Grazing will be managed at all sites to assist establishment and production of the sown pastures.
• Extrapolate ecological and financial results across the landscape. This component of the project will link closely with associated projects, such as: the Reef Rescue Project "Getting ground cover right – thresholds and baselines for a healthier reef" (RRRD027) and "Integrated assessment of BMP cost-effectiveness and decision tool for regions and landholders" (RRRD039) with emphasis on the grazing lands economic work (Reef Rescue Modelling and Monitoring Program) in delivering its milestones, and with Qld DERM rainfall simulator and runoff/erosion work.

PROGRESS UPDATES for this project are summarised here.

Study Areas

This information is coming soon.

Publications From This Project

In preparation.

Associated Reef Rescue R&D Research

• RRRD027 Groundcover - Remote sensing across Burdekin and Fitzroy catchments.
• RRRD039 BMP cost effectiveness - Economics of rehabilitation treatments and incentive payments.

Related External Research

Paddock to Reef Program

• Runoff losses – soil, water and nutrients from D class grazing land: Rainfall simulator project (DERM).
• Pasture growth rate and production related to carrying capacity: GRASP model data (pastures and soils).

Reef Rescue WQ Grants

• NQDT and FBA rehabilitation work with grazing landholders.

Relevant Publications

N/A.