Management for conservation of plant diversity in native grasslands of the Moree Plains, NSW

Abstract

Over 50% of the alluvial plains of the Moree Shire are used for dryland and irrigated cropping, and most of the remaining land is grazed by livestock. The 'Dichanthium sericeum' (Queensland Bluegrass) and 'Astrebla' spp. (Mitchell Grass) tussock grasslands were once common on the fertile clay soils of the region, but have suffered large reductions in area through cultivation. These grassland communities are also poorly conserved and only occur within one reserve (Kirramingly Nature Reserve) in New South Wales. There has been little conservation-oriented research into these grasslands, and there is a need for research to determine the best management strategies to conserve their plant diversity.