Waterspreading to restore native grasslands

Title
Waterspreading to restore native grasslands
Publication Date
2010
Author(s)
Mitchell, Kevin
Tighe, Matthew
Thompson, Ray
Type of document
Conference Publication
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Australian Rangeland Society
Place of publication
Wilcannia, Australia
UNE publication id
une:8071
Abstract
Waterspreading is a land rehabilitation technique that targets the variability of rainfall and runoff in semi-arid systems to initiate long term changes in ground cover. This study outlines the effect of waterspreading at 'Florida' in western NSW, which has been steadily implementing waterspreading systems for the last 30 years. By combining recent pasture measurements, on-farm observations, and soil surface carbon and nitrogen measurements, this study outlines the dramatic changes in pasture condition and diversity, and long term changes in surface soil properties, that occur following waterspreading. These dramatic yet persistent changes exemplify the benefits of implementing rehabilitation that is based upon the processes that govern resource movement and productivity within semi-arid systems, namely, recognition of variability in rainfall and runoff, and management of this.
Link
Citation
16th ARS Biennial Conference Papers

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