Rangeland restoration projects in western New South Wales.

1989 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
DR Green

The semi-arid to arid Western Division of New South Wales has suffered significant levels of land degradation due to overstocking by domestic animals and rabbits. Three major forms of land degradation are identified, soil erosion, woody weed growth and pasture quality decline. Restoration techniques developed and applied by the New South Wales Soil Conservation Service are presented and discussed. The successful techniques presented are contour furrowing and waterponding for sheet eroded or scalded areas, fire and blade ploughing for woody weed control and grazing management to reverse pasture decline. The lack of knowledge on pasture species responses to grazing management stimuli is highlighted.

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (67) ◽  
pp. 231 ◽  
Author(s):  
OR Southwood ◽  
F Mengersen ◽  
PJ Milham

The effect of three rates of nitrogen (22.4, 44.8 and 89.6 kgNha-1 as anhydrous ammonia) and three seeding rates (67.3, 100.9, and 134.5 kg ha-1) on forage and grain production of two oat cultivars and on herbage nitrate-nitrogen concentration, was assessed at three sites in the southern New South Wales wheat belt. When oats were sown after two or three consecutive wheat crops nitrogen at 22.4 kg ha-1 was optimal for both forage and grain production. Herbage growth was best at the highest seeding rate (134.5 kg ha-1) but grain production was not influenced by seeding rate. Herbage growth of the oat cultivars Cooba and Coolabah was similar, but grain yields were higher from the latter. Herbage nitrate nitrogen increased linearly with nitrogen fertilizer application, levels that could be toxic to animals occurring in June. Cautious grazing management may be required during this period.


1982 ◽  
Vol 22 (117) ◽  
pp. 310 ◽  
Author(s):  
JF Holland ◽  
DW McNamara

Six experiments were done in northern New South Wales over three seasons to study the effect of weeds on the yield of dry-land grain sorghum and methods of weed control. The relation between crop row spacing and weed control by inter-row cultivation or atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino- 6-isopropylamino-l,3,5-triazine), or both was studied. Where the site yield was high because of favourable growing conditions, an increase in the crop row spacing reduced yield. At low yielding sites, an increase in the row spacing increased yields. At most sites, weed growth was greater with wider row spacings, which resulted in a larger reduction in crop yield where weeds were not removed. Inter-row cultivation reduced weed growth to less than half that of the unweeded controls. Pre-emergent atrazine gave good weed suppression, generally reducing weed growth to less than 10% of the unweeded control when applied at 2.5 kg/ha active ingredient. Post-emergent atrazine was much less effective. Inter-row cultivation combined with a band of pre-emergent atrazine over the crop row was as effective in weed control as an overall spray of pre-emergent atrazine.


1978 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 200
Author(s):  
J.R. Anderson ◽  
PA Bruyn

A framework is suggested and explored for examining the influence of economic factors on changes in productivity and stability in the Western Division of New South Wales. The conclusion is reached that, excepting for an extraordinary peak of productivity around 1890, productivity continues to move up and down in a manner as unstable as ever. Economic factors seemingly play no clear role in influencing changes in productivity and only a slight and ambiguous role in influencing changes in stability.


1985 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
L Davies

The Hassall Report was based on an economic survey of 150 landholders throughout the Western Division of New South Wales for the financial years 197711978, 197811979 and 1979/1980. The survey used taxation records, however. some attitudinal informa- tion was collected from face to face interviews with landholders. The survey examined the financial performance in relation to the carrying capacity of the property and in relation to five land- scape categories. The survey found that the financial performance of the landscape categorized as "tall dense woodlands with scrub" was significantly poorer than for other landscape categories. The report has been used as a major reference for the recently completed Joint Parliamentary Committee Enquiry into the Western Division of New South Wales and has influenced a number of the economic recommendations in this report. This paper gives a brief summary of the financial results, a comparison of these results to those of other agricultural areas and the major policy recom- mendations made in the report.


1980 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 104 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Noble ◽  
AW Smith ◽  
HW Leslie

This article describes the effects of the 1974175 wildfires on the mallee vegetation in the Western Division of New South Wales using two properties as case studies. The management implications arising from these experiences are described in some detail, particularly the potential for some form of management based on periodic prescribed burning to promote herbage productivity and also to reduce any future wildfire hazard. The need for appropriate research to be undertaken in this field is also discussed.


1998 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Seddon ◽  
SV Briggs

We developed an inventory of all lakes 100 ha or greater in area in the Western Division of New South Wales including information on source of water, salinity, water regime, lake area, and presence of cultivation permits. Number, area and distribution of different categories of lakes were summarised, and the use of lakes for cropping (lakebed cultivation) and water storage were analysed by category of lake. There were 567 lakes 100 ha or larger in area in the Western Division. The majority of these were mainly dry (includes dry lakes) (56%) or filled intermittently (40%), usually from river flooding. Just under 5% of lakes were perennial. Water regimes in most perennial lakes were controlled by local structures. Seventy lakes had lakebed cultivation permits. Twenty per cent of fresh lakes that filled from a river, rather than from local rainfall, in the Western Division of New South Wales were cultivated (i.e. cropped). Eighty per cent of fresh, riverine lakes larger than 2000 ha which flood and dry intermittently were cultivated. Lakebed cropping in the Western Division of New South Wales has focused on large, fresh, lakes which fill intermittently from rivers. Use of lakes as water storages has also focused on large, fresh lakes. Conservation strategies are recommended for large, fresh lakes that flood intermittently from a river, and are not cropped or used as water storages. These strategies should be directed towards developing voluntary conservation agreements with landholders. Key words: lakes, cropping, GIS, water regimes, conservation


2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 495 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Jones ◽  
P. M. Dowling ◽  
D. L. Michalk ◽  
W. McG. King

There have been significant declines in the perennial grass (PG) content in native and sown pastures across temperate Australia. Not only has this reduced agricultural productivity, it has contributed to more serious degradation, such as loss of soil and biodiversity, decreasing water quality, and dryland salinity caused by rising watertables. Results from the Sustainable Grazing Systems Key Program (SGS) research undertaken at Carcoar on the Central Tablelands of New South Wales were reported by Michalk et al. (2003). This research indicated that grazing management tactics can be used to manipulate pasture composition, thereby changing animal production and water-use patterns. The main grazing tactic investigated was termed a summer grazing rest, where resting was imposed in late spring if PG composition was <50%. Reported in this present paper is an economic framework for valuing the long-term benefits of grazing management tactics. The framework involves the development of a bioeconomic modelling system that links a dynamic programming model with biophysical models for water and environmental processes, soil fertility, pasture growth, livestock energy requirements and the change in pasture species composition. The study concludes that long-term economic returns are improved by strategies, e.g. a summer rest, that lead to an increase in PG composition over time. The study also determined that environmental factors, such as deep drainage, runoff and soil loss, are reduced as perenniality is increased.


2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Kerin

A comprehensive review of the Western Division of New South Wales was carried out in 1998/99. The review addressed economic, environmental and social issues in New South Wales' rangelands. Six commissioned studies examined these issues in more detail. The recommendations of the review centred on streamlining administrative procedures, including Acts and regulations, addressing integrated natural resource management from a regional perspective by involving leaseholders and relevant stakeholders as representative of the broader community. It was seen as essential that scientific research and expertise, and technological advances in knowledge, be utilised by decision makers in coming to more coordinated land management decisions.


1963 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 173 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Murtagh

The use of a herbicide to restrict competition from an existing grass sward during the establishment of sod-sown Glycine javanica L. was examined in the Lismore district of New South Wales. Following application of a herbicide containing 27.7 per cent acid equivalent (a.e.) of the sodium salt of 2,2 DPA (2,2- dichloropropionic acid) and 12.5 per cent a.e. amitrole (3-amino-1,2,4 triazole) yields of G. javanica were proportional to the rate applied, for rates up to but not greater than 7.5 lb a.e. an acre. Yields from the successful herbicide treatments were of the order of 45-60 per cent of the cultivated seedbed. However, when sod-sown into an untreated sward, glycine virtually failed to establish. Weed growth was negligible in plots treated with a herbicide but was substantial in the cultivated seedbed. The application of these findings is discussed.


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