Lessons from the Midlands
A decade of collaboration between landholders, the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and Bush Heritage. Discover the lessons learned along the way.
Overgrazing is a significant environmental challenge faced by many landscapes in Australia. The introduction of pastoral animals (sheep, goats and cattle) as well as the impact of invasive species such as rabbits, has put a lot of pressure on native grassland ecosystems. In many cases, removing stock and reducing grazing pressure is one of the most impactful changes we can make in a landscape, to restore function and provide suitable habitat for native species.
What is overgrazing?
In a nutshell, overgrazing is the process of allowing animals to consume vegetation cover, to the extent that the land can't recover.
How does overgrazing effect natural landscapes?
Heavy grazing can completely eliminate certain plant species, which impacts natives that depend on these plants for food or shelter.
Heavy grazing also prevents grasses from setting seed, denying many small rodents, birds and insects this key food source. Annual grasses can fail to regenerate.
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Feral goats can cause overgrazing. Photo Paul and Leanne Hales.
The hard hooves of cattle, sheep and goats also damage the surface of the soil. This leads to soil compaction, destroys the complex ecology of the soil surface and often initiates soil erosion.
Weeds frequently arrive with grazing stock. If the weeds establish, they can spread to new areas when their seeds attach to animals, are passed in their manure, carried by the wind or transported by running water. In addition to removing stock, we also focus on weed control.
Preventing overgrazing through sustainable grazing practices
Removing stock entirely has been one of the most impactful changes we've made on acquiring many of our conservation reserves. But there are other ways of restoring grasslands, while continuing to carefully manage grazing pressure.
Some strategies include strategically rotating grazing animals through different fenced areas, ensuring stock levels are not too high to sustainably manage and allowing natural regeneration (or actively reintroducing) important plant species.
Livestock may be better supported by consuming a healthy range of different plants, where biodiversity is maintained, and moving through different areas, creating a mosaic of different grazing levels.
A bit of grazing can actually be a good thing if the balance is right, because a lot of the smaller native plants get crowded out when grasses grow too long. Naturally, wallabies or kangaroos would keep them in check, but under the right management, sheep can do this too.
Our innovative Midlandscapes Project (a partnership with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy and private farmers in Tasmania) provides a place on the balance sheet for conservation work, which can allow farmers to take steps such as reducing their stock rate or bringing in extra feed to reduce grazing pressure.
Managing abundance
Returning the bush to good health sometimes means making very difficult decisions about managing one species to protect hundreds of others.
When the circumstances arise, managing one species of overabundant native wildlife is a difficult but necessary decision when we consider the bigger picture. Sometimes that means reducing numbers to more appropriate levels.
The science we use, and the guidelines implemented, were carefully developed in consultation with a group of independent experts. Our approach is endorsed by leaders in this field from University of Melbourne and Australian National University, and we use humane methods developed in consultation with the RSPCA.
It’s about getting the balance right so we deliver on our promise – healthy country, protected forever.
How the land responds
At the time it was purchased, Carnarvon Station Reserve in Queensland had degraded native bluegrass downs on which few native animals survived.
Following the removal of stock, the native grasslands have flourished, supported by weed control and use of fire. Maintaining boundary fences with neighbouring pastoral properties is also crucial to maintaining low grazing pressure.
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Bluegrass grasslands on Carnarvon Reserve (Qld). Photo Wayne Lawler / EcoPix.
Now these threatened habitats are supporting insects, reptiles, increasing numbers of native mammals, seed-eating birds such as the Plum-headed Finch, the Turquoise Parrot, and birds of prey.
They're also harvested to provide seed stock to sell to other landowners looking to re-establish native bluegrass grasslands.
Reducing grazing pressure stories
