Álvarez-Romero, Jorge G. (2015) Catchment to Coast Planning: summary of key environmental management issues and activities undertaken by land managers in the Gilbert River catchment, Queensland, Australia. Report. James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

The study is a joint research project between James Cook University and the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (NGRMG). The goal is to understand key environmental management problems (i.e. weeds, pests, erosion, altered fire regimes) and how land managers deal with these problems, as well as how grazing practices contribute to land condition. We collected information about their property and production system, the costs of managing the property, the expenditure in terms of individual management activities, and their opinion on how important these land management problems are. The study will provide information relevant to develop a management plan for the Gilbert River catchment that reflects landholders' perspectives and knowledge. Designing effective natural resource management (NRM) plans require good understanding of the environmental and production problems affecting the region (e.g. loss of natural vegetation, species declines, poor land condition, decreased productivity, reduced water availability and quality), and the management activities required to prevent or mitigate these problems. Effective management requires allocating limited resources efficiently to address the most pressing problems (e.g. feral animals, weeds, erosion, overgrazing) affecting valuable areas. Inefficient allocation of management resources can thus compromise the land values and the long-term sustainability of production systems in the region. Efficient allocation of management resources requires understanding the distribution, magnitude, and impacts of environmental problems, as well as the activities required (and being undertaken) to prevent or mitigate these problems. Likewise, it is important to estimate the costs of individual management activities (e.g. fire, weed and pest control) needed to mitigate the production and environmental problems within budgetary constraints. Collecting local knowledge on the environmental problems and ongoing management activities is critical to understand the problems and vision of land managers, as well as to estimate management costs, which is necessary to develop feasible NRM plans.

Item ID:	41454
Item Type:	Report (Report)
Keywords:	Gilbert River catchment; Queensland; Australia; land management; grazing; pastoralist; weeds; feral animals; erosion; fire management; bush fires
Related URLs:	Organisation
Additional Information:	Report prepared for the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group.
Funders:	National Environmental Research Program (NERP)
Date Deposited:	10 Dec 2015 05:26
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity @ 40% 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050209 Natural Resource Management @ 60%
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9604 Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species > 960405 Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species at Regional or Larger Scales @ 30% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9609 Land and Water Management > 960910 Sparseland, Permanent Grassland and Arid Zone Land and Water Management @ 30% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960501 Ecosystem Assessment and Management at Regional or Larger Scales @ 40%
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