<p>Globally, grazing systems have been consistently implicated in land degradation as refle... more <p>Globally, grazing systems have been consistently implicated in land degradation as reflected by changes in woody cover, soil degradation and losses of biodiversity. Pastoral systems can be a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission or a low-cost carbon sink for climate mitigation. In Australia, the $AUD 2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) is the centre piece of climate policy and has resulted in >3.8 million ha of land use change. Traditional pastoral systems are now including management which increases carbon pools in vegetation (regeneration of native vegetation in rangelands) and soils (regenerative pasture management to increase the amount of soil biomass and limit soil disturbance). The scale of this land-use change is providing an unpredicted opportunity to deliver multiple ecosystem services, or core benefits (production of food and fibre, carbon sequestration and reduced loss of soil carbon). While there is increasing anecdotal evidence that regenerative agricultural practices results in increased farm profitability and greater wellbeing, there are key uncertainties around their potential to deliver multifunctional landscapes and contested views on the magnitude of these changes and opportunities. A major uncertainty revolves around climate impacts on carbon sequestration.</p><p>We provide two case studies which explicitly incorporate carbon sequestration and regenerative management practices and have the potential to deliver multiple environmental, economic and social benefits; (i) using a rangeland carbon farming example, we show how income from carbon sequestration in vegetation, re-directed to managing of grazing intensity, is leading to greater ecological and social resilience. Additional value of these carbon farming areas through ecological thinning and the use of woody residue for biochar production represents further mitigation potential as well as increased benefits in habitat for biodiversity (ii) using a temperate grazing system, implementing regenerative agricultural practices which reduce the amount of soil organic matter decline through minimal disturbance and pasture management may increase soil organic carbon. For each case study, Land Use Trade-Offs (LUTO) model, a high-resolution integrated environmental-economic model, is used to illustrate spatiotemporal dynamics of land-use options, quantify the magnitude of trade-offs adjusted for future climate impacts and assess farm-scale land use prioritisation and optimisation for multiple benefits. We identify land management practices that increase carbon sequestration (vegetation and soils) and realise opportunities for additional farm income are integrated with sustainable land management.</p>
Australia’s rangeland communities, industries, and environment are under increasing pressures fro... more Australia’s rangeland communities, industries, and environment are under increasing pressures from anthropogenic activities and global changes more broadly. We conducted a horizon scan to identify and prioritise key challenges facing Australian rangelands and their communities, and outline possible avenues to address these challenges, with a particular focus on research priorities. We surveyed participants of the Australian Rangeland Society 20th Biennial Conference, held in Canberra in September 2019, before the conference and in interactive workshops during the conference, in order to identify key challenges, potential solutions, and research priorities. The feedback was broadly grouped into six themes associated with supporting local communities, managing natural capital, climate variability and change, traditional knowledge, governance, and research and development. Each theme had several sub-themes and potential solutions to ensure positive, long-term outcomes for the rangeland...
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
Whilst all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this public... more Whilst all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Forest and Wood Products Australia Limited and all persons associated with them (FWPA) as well as any other contributors make no representations or give any warranty regarding the use, suitability, validity, accuracy, completeness, currency or reliability of the information, including any opinion or advice, contained in this publication. To the maximum extent permitted by law, FWPA disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to any warranty that the information is up-to-date, complete, true, legally compliant, accurate, non-misleading or suitable. To the maximum extent permitted by law, FWPA excludes all liability in contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage whatsoever (whether direct, indirect, special or consequential) arising out of or in connection with use or reliance on this publication (and any information, opinions or advice therein) and whether caused by any errors, defects, omissions or misrepresentations in this publication. Individual requirements may vary from those discussed in this publication and you are advised to check with State authorities to ensure building compliance as well as make your own professional assessment of the relevant applicable laws and Standards.
Despite the increasing extent of protected areas throughout the world, biodiversity decline conti... more Despite the increasing extent of protected areas throughout the world, biodiversity decline continues. Grazing management that promotes both biodiversity and production outcomes has the potential to improve broad-scale conservation and complement the protected area network. In this study we explored the potential to integrate commercial livestock grazing and conservation in a semi-arid rangeland in south-eastern Australia. Understorey floristic composition and diversity were compared at different spatial scales across three grazing management treatments: (1) continuous commercial grazing management where paddocks were grazed for the majority of the year (≥8 months per annum); (2) rotational commercial grazing management where livestock are frequently rotated and paddocks rested for >4 months per annum; and (3) protected areas managed for conservation with domestic livestock excluded and grazed only by native and feral herbivores. The season of sampling, rainfall, soil characteris...
This article reports on modelling of the farm-level financial implications of changing land use f... more This article reports on modelling of the farm-level financial implications of changing land use from rangelands grazing to ‘carbon farming’ (vegetation-based carbon sequestration) in north-western New South Wales, Australia. Four model farm businesses were created by combining information from existing carbon projects funded under the Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), data from surveys of farm businesses in the study regions and biomass estimations from the pasture growth model, GRASP. Scenarios for each of the businesses were: baseline (current grazing system); clearing vegetation to increase carrying capacity; establishing a carbon project; and establishing a carbon project and reinvesting some of the additional income in exclusion fencing to increase carrying capacity on non-project areas. The carbon project scenarios were based on either of two approved carbon sequestration methodologies within the ERF: avoided deforestation; and human-induced regeneration....
<p>Globally, grazing systems have been consistently implicated in land degradation as refle... more <p>Globally, grazing systems have been consistently implicated in land degradation as reflected by changes in woody cover, soil degradation and losses of biodiversity. Pastoral systems can be a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission or a low-cost carbon sink for climate mitigation. In Australia, the $AUD 2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) is the centre piece of climate policy and has resulted in >3.8 million ha of land use change. Traditional pastoral systems are now including management which increases carbon pools in vegetation (regeneration of native vegetation in rangelands) and soils (regenerative pasture management to increase the amount of soil biomass and limit soil disturbance). The scale of this land-use change is providing an unpredicted opportunity to deliver multiple ecosystem services, or core benefits (production of food and fibre, carbon sequestration and reduced loss of soil carbon). While there is increasing anecdotal evidence that regenerative agricultural practices results in increased farm profitability and greater wellbeing, there are key uncertainties around their potential to deliver multifunctional landscapes and contested views on the magnitude of these changes and opportunities. A major uncertainty revolves around climate impacts on carbon sequestration.</p><p>We provide two case studies which explicitly incorporate carbon sequestration and regenerative management practices and have the potential to deliver multiple environmental, economic and social benefits; (i) using a rangeland carbon farming example, we show how income from carbon sequestration in vegetation, re-directed to managing of grazing intensity, is leading to greater ecological and social resilience. Additional value of these carbon farming areas through ecological thinning and the use of woody residue for biochar production represents further mitigation potential as well as increased benefits in habitat for biodiversity (ii) using a temperate grazing system, implementing regenerative agricultural practices which reduce the amount of soil organic matter decline through minimal disturbance and pasture management may increase soil organic carbon. For each case study, Land Use Trade-Offs (LUTO) model, a high-resolution integrated environmental-economic model, is used to illustrate spatiotemporal dynamics of land-use options, quantify the magnitude of trade-offs adjusted for future climate impacts and assess farm-scale land use prioritisation and optimisation for multiple benefits. We identify land management practices that increase carbon sequestration (vegetation and soils) and realise opportunities for additional farm income are integrated with sustainable land management.</p>
Australia’s rangeland communities, industries, and environment are under increasing pressures fro... more Australia’s rangeland communities, industries, and environment are under increasing pressures from anthropogenic activities and global changes more broadly. We conducted a horizon scan to identify and prioritise key challenges facing Australian rangelands and their communities, and outline possible avenues to address these challenges, with a particular focus on research priorities. We surveyed participants of the Australian Rangeland Society 20th Biennial Conference, held in Canberra in September 2019, before the conference and in interactive workshops during the conference, in order to identify key challenges, potential solutions, and research priorities. The feedback was broadly grouped into six themes associated with supporting local communities, managing natural capital, climate variability and change, traditional knowledge, governance, and research and development. Each theme had several sub-themes and potential solutions to ensure positive, long-term outcomes for the rangeland...
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
Whilst all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this public... more Whilst all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Forest and Wood Products Australia Limited and all persons associated with them (FWPA) as well as any other contributors make no representations or give any warranty regarding the use, suitability, validity, accuracy, completeness, currency or reliability of the information, including any opinion or advice, contained in this publication. To the maximum extent permitted by law, FWPA disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to any warranty that the information is up-to-date, complete, true, legally compliant, accurate, non-misleading or suitable. To the maximum extent permitted by law, FWPA excludes all liability in contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage whatsoever (whether direct, indirect, special or consequential) arising out of or in connection with use or reliance on this publication (and any information, opinions or advice therein) and whether caused by any errors, defects, omissions or misrepresentations in this publication. Individual requirements may vary from those discussed in this publication and you are advised to check with State authorities to ensure building compliance as well as make your own professional assessment of the relevant applicable laws and Standards.
Despite the increasing extent of protected areas throughout the world, biodiversity decline conti... more Despite the increasing extent of protected areas throughout the world, biodiversity decline continues. Grazing management that promotes both biodiversity and production outcomes has the potential to improve broad-scale conservation and complement the protected area network. In this study we explored the potential to integrate commercial livestock grazing and conservation in a semi-arid rangeland in south-eastern Australia. Understorey floristic composition and diversity were compared at different spatial scales across three grazing management treatments: (1) continuous commercial grazing management where paddocks were grazed for the majority of the year (≥8 months per annum); (2) rotational commercial grazing management where livestock are frequently rotated and paddocks rested for >4 months per annum; and (3) protected areas managed for conservation with domestic livestock excluded and grazed only by native and feral herbivores. The season of sampling, rainfall, soil characteris...
This article reports on modelling of the farm-level financial implications of changing land use f... more This article reports on modelling of the farm-level financial implications of changing land use from rangelands grazing to ‘carbon farming’ (vegetation-based carbon sequestration) in north-western New South Wales, Australia. Four model farm businesses were created by combining information from existing carbon projects funded under the Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), data from surveys of farm businesses in the study regions and biomass estimations from the pasture growth model, GRASP. Scenarios for each of the businesses were: baseline (current grazing system); clearing vegetation to increase carrying capacity; establishing a carbon project; and establishing a carbon project and reinvesting some of the additional income in exclusion fencing to increase carrying capacity on non-project areas. The carbon project scenarios were based on either of two approved carbon sequestration methodologies within the ERF: avoided deforestation; and human-induced regeneration....
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Papers by Cathy Waters