Burning the Bush: The Development of Australia’s Southwest Botanical Province

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Kost
Keyword(s):  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Historical Records ◽  
The Past ◽  
Environmental Narratives ◽  
European Colonization ◽  
The Impact

Though early historical records frequently mention Aboriginal, or Noongar, firing in south-western Australia, little is known about how the Noongar people managed the vegetation with fire, or the impact this has had on the environment. This study uses interdisciplinary archaeology, with information from ethnographic data, historical records, and pollen records from the last 6,000 years to determine the actions of the Noongar people and demonstrate how the Southwest Botanical Province can be viewed as an artefact of Noongar land management. It is widely accepted that Aboriginal people have had an effect on some of Australia’s vegetation types through fire (Bowman 1998; Hallam 1975; Kershaw et al. 2002) although the extent of the influence of Aboriginal firing is debated (Mooney et al. 2007). However, pollen data and the study of fire indicators in Xanthorrhoea and Eucalyptus trunks have been used to demonstrate that the frequency of fire events in the south-west has decreased since European colonization (Atahan et al. 2004; Ward et al. 2001), resulting in the loss of fire-dependent vegetation species and changes in vegetation distribution patterns. This disruption of the vegetation communities has been compounded by the extensive clearing of land for farming and the displacement of the Noongar people (Dodson 2001). The impact that European colonization had on vegetation becomes more apparent as an understanding of the Noongar fire management practices is gained. There is increasing acknowledgement by researchers of the need to understand the influence of the past fire regime on vegetation patterns and to acknowledge traditional land management practices (Hopper and Gioia 2004), as well as the changes caused by European attempts to create a ‘natural’ regime, so that land management groups can take them into account when determining modern-day prescribed burning timetables. Archaeological studies such as this one can provide a unique insight into the past actions of people such as the Noongar, allowing us to determine how they shaped the landscape prior to European colonization (see Balée, Chapter 3 this volume for a more direct discussion of the ‘indigenous’ nature of pre-colonial landscapes; see Stump, Chapter 10 this volume for similar discussions of colonial and postcolonial environmental narratives).

scholarly journals Impacts of land management on the resilience of Mediterranean dry forests to fire

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Jucker Riva ◽  
Gudrun Schwilch ◽  
Hanspeter Liniger ◽  
Alejandro Valdecantos
Keyword(s):  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Mediterranean Forests ◽  
Before And After ◽  
History Of ◽  
Time Specific ◽  
The Impact

Wildfires have always been a part of the history of Mediterranean forests. However, forest regeneration after a wildfire is not certain. It depends on many factors, some of which may be influenced by land management activities. Failure of regeneration will cause a regime shift in the ecosystem, reducing the provision of ecosystem services and ultimately leading to desertification. How can we increase Mediterranean forests’ resilience to fire? To answer this question, we did a literature review, investigating chains of processes that allow forests to regenerate (which we label “regeneration mechanisms”), and assessed the impact of selected management practices documented in the WOCAT database on the regeneration mechanisms. We identified three distinct regeneration mechanisms that enable Mediterranean forests to recover, as well as the time frame before and after a fire in which they are at work, and factors that can hinder or support resilience. The three regeneration mechanisms enabling a forest to regenerate after a fire consist of regeneration (1) from a seed bank; (2) from resprouting individuals; and (3) from unburned plants that escaped the fire. Management practices were grouped into four categories: (1) fuel breaks, (2) fuel management, (3) afforestation, and (4) mulching. We assessed how and under what conditions land management modifies the ecosystem’s resilience. The results show that land management influences resilience by interacting with resilience mechanisms before and after the fire, and not just by modifying the fire regime. Our analysis demonstrates a need for adaptive – i.e. context- and time-specific – management strategies.

scholarly journals Analyzing Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Land Management Practices in Mecha Woreda, Northwestern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7007
Author(s):  
Habtamu Nebere ◽  
Degefa Tolossa ◽  
Amare Bantider
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Household Heads ◽  
The Impact

In Ethiopia, the practice of land management started three decades ago in order to address the problem of land degradation and to further boost agricultural production. However, the impact of land management practices in curbing land degradation problems and improving the productivity of the agricultural sector is insignificant. Various empirical works have previously identified the determinants of the adoption rate of land management practices. However, the sustainability of land management practices after adoption, and the various factors that control the sustainability of implemented land management practices, are not well addressed. This study analyzed the factors affecting the sustainability of land management practices after implementation in Mecha Woreda, northwestern Ethiopia. The study used 378 sample respondents, selected by a systematic random sampling technique. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the quantitative data, while the qualitative data were qualitatively and concurrently analyzed with the quantitative data. The sustained supply of fodder from the implemented land management practices, as well as improved cattle breed, increases the sustainability of the implemented land management practices. While lack of agreement in the community, lack of enforcing community bylaws, open cattle grazing, lack of benefits of implemented land management practices, acting as barrier for farming practices, poor participation of household heads during planning and decision-making processes, as well as the lack of short-term benefits, reduce the sustainability of the implemented land management practices. Thus, it is better to allow for the full participation of household heads in planning and decision-making processes to bring practical and visible results in land management practices. In addition, recognizing short-term benefits to compensate the land lost in constructing land management structures must be the strategy in land management practices. Finally, reducing the number of cattle and practicing stall feeding is helpful both for the sustainability of land management practices and the productivity of cattle. In line with this, fast-growing fodder grass species have to be introduced for household heads to grow on land management structures and communal grazing fields for stall feeding.

scholarly journals Assessment of alternative land management practices using hydrological simulation and a decision support tool: Arborea agricultural region, Sardinia

2007 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1811-1823 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Cau ◽  
C. Paniconi
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Water Movement ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Hydrological Simulation ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Quantifying the impact of land use on water supply and quality is a primary focus of environmental management. In this work we apply a semidistributed hydrological model (SWAT) to predict the impact of different land management practices on water and agricultural chemical yield over a long period of time for a study site situated in the Arborea region of central Sardinia, Italy. The physical processes associated with water movement, crop growth, and nutrient cycling are directly modeled by SWAT. The model simulations are used to identify indicators that reflect critical processes related to the integrity and sustainability of the ecosystem. Specifically we focus on stream quality and quantity indicators associated with anthropogenic and natural sources of pollution. A multicriteria decision support system is then used to develop the analysis matrix where water quality and quantity indicators for the rivers, lagoons, and soil are combined with socio-economic variables. The DSS is used to assess four options involving alternative watersheds designated for intensive agriculture and dairy farming and the use or not of treated wastewater for irrigation. Our analysis suggests that of the four options, the most widely acceptable consists in the transfer of intensive agricultural practices to the larger watershed, which is less vulnerable, in tandem with wastewater reuse, which rates highly due to water scarcity in this region of the Mediterranean. More generally, the work demonstrates how both qualitative and quantitative methods and information can assist decision making in complex settings.

Reinforcing alternative economies: self-motivated work by central Anmatyerr people to sell Katyerr (Desert raisin, Bush tomato) in central Australia

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Holcombe ◽  
Peter Yates ◽  
Fiona Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Alternative Economies ◽  
Central Australia ◽  
Hybrid Economy ◽  
Alternative Economy

This paper examines an alternative economy in the Anmatyerr region of central Australia, with reference to the ‘hybrid economy’ concept. We argue that this concept has application in recognising emerging Aboriginal economies surrounding the utilisation and management of natural resources. In particular, we examine the ‘bush harvest’ of one species – where Aboriginal people sell Desert raisin (Katyerr or Bush tomato) to traders who then on-sell to manufacturers and retailers. This seasonal economy intermittently injects relatively significant amounts of cash into households (but unaccounted for in census figures). Although some groups have been selling bush harvest produce for up to 30 years, it is increasingly gaining momentum with a larger market developing. Yet, there is a risk that this burgeoning market and the mainstream interest in horticulture will fail to recognise the value of local Aboriginal motivations that drive the customary harvest activity. Nevertheless, there is increased federal government recognition, via the Central Land Council, of the value of Aboriginal people as local land managers; as rangers. This in turn has provided resources to promote and encourage this harvest through the recognition of Aboriginal land management practices, such as seasonal burning to encourage the crop’s growth.

Insights on the relationship between total grazing pressure management and sustainable land management: key indicators to verify impacts

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 535 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Waters ◽  
S. E. McDonald ◽  
J. Reseigh ◽  
R. Grant ◽  
D. G. Burnside
Keyword(s):  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Environmental Stewardship ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Sustainable Land Management ◽  
Key Indicators ◽  
The Impact

Demonstrating sustainable land management (SLM) requires an understanding of the linkages between grazing management and environmental stewardship. Grazing management practices that incorporate strategic periods of rest are promoted internationally as best practice. However, spatial and temporal trends in unmanaged feral (goat) and native (kangaroo) populations in the southern Australian rangelands can result land managers having, at times, control over less than half the grazing pressure, precluding the ability to rest pastures. Few empirical studies have examined the impacts of total grazing pressure (TGP) on biodiversity and resource condition, while the inability to manage grazing intensity at critical times may result in negative impacts on ground cover, changes in pasture species composition, increased rates of soil loss and reduce the ability for soils to store carbon. The widespread adoption of TGP control through exclusion fencing in the southern Australian rangelands has created unprecedented opportunities to manage total grazing pressure, although there is little direct evidence that this infrastructure leads to more sustainable land management. Here we identify several key indicators that are either outcome- or activity-based that could serve as a basis for verification of the impacts of TGP management. Since TGP is the basic determinant of the impact of herbivory on vegetation it follows that the ability for rangeland pastoral management to demonstrate SLM and environmental stewardship will rely on using evidence-based indicators to support environmental social licence to operate.

scholarly journals Gender Inequality and Symbolic Violence in Women’s Access to Family Land in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Lusasi ◽  
Dismas Mwaseba
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Tree Planting ◽  
Symbolic Violence ◽  
Family Land ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Laws And Regulations

We set out to unveil gender inequality with respect to women’s access to family land following the surge in tree-planting in selected villages in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Specifically, the study describes land-transaction procedures at the household level and shows how the lack of women’s involvement in such land transactions affect their access to and control over family lands. Gender inequality is portrayed in a variety of social and economic activities, with women being deprived of access to, control over, and ownership of land. Although the current land laws address gender inequalities pertaining to women’s access to, ownership of, and control over land, the impact of such reforms has been minimal. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic violence, we reveal how women suffer symbolic violence through traditional practices of land management and administration. Societies in the studied villages are strongly patriarchal, with men being dominant and women subordinate. In such a patriarchal system, women’s empowerment is urgent. Women require knowledge and awareness of the laws and regulations that affirm their rights not only to family lands, but also to participation in decision-making processes regarding family assets. We recommend non-oppressive approaches to natural-resource management. As such, we call for existing authorities at the village and district levels, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and legal bodies to promote gender equality in land-management practices. We also advocate dialectical communication between women and men in order to reveal and heal practices of symbolic violence, and enhance gender equality in respect of access to land and its control and ownership in villages in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Effective implementation of existing land laws and regulations that address gender inequality and associated violence is unavoidable.

Attention to four key principles can promote health outcomes from desert Aboriginal land management

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn Davies ◽  
David Campbell ◽  
Matthew Campbell ◽  
Josie Douglas ◽  
Hannah Hueneke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Sense Of Control ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Further Development

We identify four principles that can promote the prospects of health outcomes for desert Aboriginal people from livelihoods engaged with land management. The principles were derived inductively using a grounded theory approach, drawing on primary research that used qualitative and participatory methods, and from relevant literature and theoretical frameworks. International and Australian literature offers evidence that supports desert Aboriginal people’s view that their health depends on their relationship with their land. Engagement with land management can lead desert Aboriginal people to feel that their own actions are consistent with their own sense of the right and proper way for them to behave towards land, family and community. This increased ‘sense of control’ impacts positively on health by moderating the impact of sustained stress from health risk factors in the environment and lifestyle. The four principles focus on underlying characteristics of Aboriginal land management that are important to promoting this increased ‘sense of control’: (1) Aboriginal land management governance recognises and respects Aboriginal custom and tradition, and is adaptive; (2) learning is embraced as a life-long process; (3) relationships are recognised as very important; and (4) partnerships give priority to doing things that all parties agree are important. These principles are presented as hypotheses that warrant further development and testing. While they do not account specifically for the impact of lifestyle and environmental factors on health, we expect that the increased sense of control that desert Aboriginal people are likely to develop when involved in Aboriginal land management that applies these principles will moderate the impact of such factors on their health. The principles offer a starting point for further development of criteria and standards for good practice in Aboriginal land management, potentially including an environmental certification scheme that integrates social and environmental outcomes.

scholarly journals Analysis of Farmers’ Perception on the Impact of Land Degradation Hazard on Agricultural Land Productivity in Jeldu District in West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Tesfaye Samuel Saguye
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Land Productivity ◽  
Community Knowledge ◽  
Process Indicators ◽  
The Impact

Land degradation is increasing in severity and extent in many parts of the world. Success in arresting land degradation entails an improved understanding of its causes, process, indicators and impacts. Various scientific methodologies have been employed to assess land degradation globally. However, the use of local community knowledge in elucidating the causes, process, indicators and effects of land degradation has seen little application by scientists and policy makers. Land degradation may be a physical process, but its underlying causes are firmly rooted in the socio-economic, political and cultural environment in which land users operate. Analyzing the root causes and effects of land degradation from local community knowledge, perception and adapting strategies perspective will provide information that is essential for designing and promoting sustainable land management practices. The main objective of this study was to analyze the perceptions of farmers’ on the impact of land degradation hazard on agricultural land productivity decline associated with soil erosion and fertility loss. The study used a multistage sampling procedure to select sample respondent households. The sample size of the study was 120 household heads and 226 farm plots managed by these farmers. The primary data of the study were collected by using semi-structured Interview, focus group discussions and field observation. Both descriptive statistics and econometric techniques were used for data analysis. Descriptive results show that 57percent of the respondents were perceived the severity and its consequence on agricultural land productivity. The following indicators of soil erosion and fertility loss were generally perceived and observed by farmers’ in the study area: gullies formations, soil accumulation around clumps of vegetation, soil deposits on gentle slopes, exposed roots, muddy water, sedimentation in streams and rivers, change in vegetation species, increased runoff, and reduced rooting depth. The direct human activities which were perceived to be causing land degradation in the study area include: deforestation and clearing of vegetation, overgrazing, steep slope cultivation and continuous cropping. The farmers’ possibility of perceiving the impact of land degradation hazard on agricultural land productivity was primarily determined by institutional, psychological, demographic and by bio-physical factors. Farmers who perceive their land as deteriorating and producing less than desired, tend to adopt improved land management practices. On the other hand, farmers who perceive their land to be fertile tend to have low adoption of conservation practices. In order to overcome this land degradation and its consequent effects, the study recommended a need for the government to enforce effective policies to control and prevent land degradation and these policies should be community inclusive /participatory founded up on indigenous and age-honored knowledge and tradition of farmers' natural resource management as well as introduced scientific practices.

scholarly journals Influence of workshop attendance on management of pediatric fecal incontinence in Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taiwo Akeem Lawal
Keyword(s):  
Fecal Incontinence ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Postgraduate Training ◽  
Surgical Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Training Opportunities ◽  
And Training

Abstract Background The care of children with fecal incontinence is suboptimal with inadequate support and training opportunities. The postgraduate training of pediatric surgeons on the management of fecal incontinence is inadequate since each training center is not likely to see enough number of cases yearly. Supplemental training through workshops on fecal incontinence may help to bridge the gap. The aim of this cross sectional study was to evaluate the impact of previous attendance of a workshop on fecal incontinence management practices among pediatric surgeons. Results A total of 41 respondents participated. Eleven (26.8%) respondents had attended a workshop in the past and seven (17.1%) had done a Malone antegrade continent enema (MACE) on patients. A higher proportion of respondents who had practiced for over 15 years had attended a workshop on fecal incontinence compared to those who had not attended one (90.9% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.001). The proportion of respondents who had attended a workshop on fecal incontinence and had performed a MACE (18.2%) was higher than the proportion of those who had not attended a workshop and had performed a similar procedure on patients (3.3%), p = 0.047. Conclusions One quarter of pediatric surgeons in the country surveyed had attended a workshop on fecal incontinence. Prior attendance of a workshop on fecal incontinence is significantly related to experience and significantly influenced the performance of a MACE procedure. Supplementation of the training of pediatric surgeons through workshops on fecal incontinence will help to improve capacity in pediatric colorectal surgical care.

Canadian agricultural land-use and land management data for Kyoto reporting

2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Huffman ◽  
R. Ogston ◽  
T. Fisette ◽  
B. Daneshfar ◽  
P-Y. Gasser, L. White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Satellite Image ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Land Use And Management ◽  
National Analysis ◽  
The Impact

The land use and management data requirements for assessing, monitoring and reporting on the impact of agricultural production practices on the environment, especially in a country as large as Canada, are considerable. In view of the fact that environmental assessments are a relatively new phenomenon, data collection activities targeted toward these needs are not widespread. As a result, we find it necessary to acquire and integrate a variety of data sources with differing time lines, spatial scales and sampling frameworks. This paper uses our current activities with respect to Kyoto reporting as a focus to present and discuss the types of data required and the spatial analysis and integration procedures being developed to provide them. The essential data for this activity include the area of crop and land use types, land use changes since 1990, farm and land management practices and biomass production. The spatial framework selected for national analysis is the Soil Landscapes of Canada, and the primary existing data sources are the Census of Agriculture, sample-derived yield estimates and satellite-based land cover products. These are supplemented with detailed, multi-season, multi-year satellite image interpretations conducted at an ecologically and statistically stratified sample of sites across the country. The use of these data in preparing an account of greenhouse gas sources and sinks identified a number of gaps and problems, and a brief outline of future work designed to improve the data inputs is presented. Key words: Kyoto reporting, data integration, land use and management, greenhouse gases, carbon sequestration

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