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Monaro Grassland Program

• The Monaro region
• Monaro vegetation
• Grasslands supporting agriculture
• The Monaro Grassland Program
• What has been achieved so far?
• Publications

The Monaro region

The ‘Monaro’ in an ill-defined area extending roughly from Canberra in the north to the Victorian Border in the south. The Snowy Mountains form the western boundary and the coastal Kybean range forms the eastern limits. Covering 1.6 million hectares, the Monaro includes the headwaters of the Snowy and Murrumbidgee rivers and covers three local government areas — Bombala, Cooma/Monaro and Snowy River.

The Monaro has unique geographical features — its elevation of 800-1000 metres above sea level and its location in the lee of the Snowy Mountains. The topography ranges from large river valleys to alpine and sub-alpine regions of the Snowy Mountains. This includes parts of tablelands and upper slopes that run along the spine of the Great Dividing Range. Also part of the area is the Monaro plains, which is an elevated plateau. In the western parts, the landscape consists mostly of flat to undulating terrain often referred to as the ‘treeless plain’.

The soil types are diverse with the majority being of granite (53%), basalt (22%) and soils of sedimentary origin (for example shale and slate — 25%). Most are naturally acidic and typically deficient in phosphorous. The granite and slate/shale soils are characterised as being generally coarse in texture with low water-holding capacity and low fertility. The basalt soils have a higher water-holding capacity and higher fertility.

On the Monaro, the climate is regarded as temperate. Winters are long and cold, with temperatures regularly falling below freezing and periodic snowfalls occurring throughout the region. Due to the Monaro’s location (lee of the Snowy Mountains) a rain shadow effect is experienced throughout the region, creating low and irregular annual rainfall. Rain falls predominantly in summer and winter, with a slight summer dominance.

Roseview Bobeyan Divide

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Monaro vegetation

‘It is remarkable that such an extensive tract of country as that known as the Monaro Plains, should naturally be almost destitute of trees and shrubs - the country is made up of clear undulating plains, with only a few isolated tree-clad localities’. (Cambage 1909)

The Monaro region contains a diverse range of vegetation types including grasslands, alpine herbfields, fens, bogs, heath, shrubs, woodland and sclerophyll forest. These vegetation forms are determined by similar factors including climate, elevation, physiography, soil parent material and climate. An original study of the ecosystems of the Monaro region conducted by Costin in 1954 describes the grassland ecosystem as:

‘Communities of the grassland formation are widespread in the Monaro Region. The dry tussock grasslands occur in semi-arid to sub-humid tableland environments under geologically or physiographically determined conditions of low soil moisture availability or aeration or of cold air drainage. Wet tussock grasslands develop over a wide range of tableland and montane climates in level to gently sloping situations influenced by freely moving, usually slightly acid ground-waters. The sod tussock grasslands are virtually confined to the alpine and subalpine tracts under physio graphically determined conditions of cold air drainage and or/imperfect soil aeration unaccompanied by pronounced ground-water effects’.

More recent vegetation surveys by Benson in 1994 have identified six grassland communities existing in the Monaro region:

• Community 1 Themeda australis (Kangaroo Grass) dominated grassland at low altitudes on sedimentary and volcanic soil.
• Community 2 Poa sieberiana (Snowgrass) dominated grassland on basalt soils between Cooma and Bombala.
• Community 3 Stipa dominated tussock grasslands on well-drained soils near Cooma.
• Community 4 Montane dry sod tussock grassland in Kosciusko National Park.
• Community 5 Montane wet sod tussock grassland in Kosciusko National Park.
• Community 6 Poa labillardiere (Tussock) dominated grassland along creek lines on various soils.

Asperula conferta

Caladenia carnea

Stylidium Graminifolium

The Department of Environment and Conservation has modelled the pre-1750 extent of grasslands on the Monaro. Yellow patches indicate areas of grassland pre 1750:   (Click image for larger picture.)

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Grasslands supporting agriculture

The Monaro region is a pastoral district and has relied on native grasses as pasture for stock. Early settlers stocked cattle and the tallow was sold at nearby markets. Sheep were introduced around 1840 and the Monaro soon became a wool-growing district, specialising in Merino fine wool. The value of agriculture for the Monaro region was valued at $62 million in 1997 and follows the general trends of wool and beef commodity prices at a regional and national level.

Ninety-five per cent of the gross value of agricultural production on the Monaro comes from wool and beef. Sheep numbers in the Cooma RLPB have averaged about 1,100,000 for the last 20 years and outnumber cattle by 20:1.

The main perennial grassland species that support the Monaro grazing industry are Poa labillardierei (Poa Tussock), Poa sieberiana (Snow Grass), Austrodanthonia (Wallaby Grass) and Austrostipa scabra (Spear Grass).

Species	Crude protein	Digestibility	Characteristics
Poa Tussock	4 - 12 %	42 - 65%	A dense tussocky grass with low nutritive value that grows vigorously during the spring and summer months but can slowly grow through the winter.
Snow Grass	4 - 12%	61 - 69% (green)	Similar to Poa Tussock, but not as resilient.
Wallaby Grass 1	0 - 25%	45 - 82%	There are many species of this grass and these vary greatly in quality. Generally are the most productive of the native grasses present. Grows strongly through the spring with some winter growth.
Spear Grass	3 - 17%	Less than 60%	One of the most common species with limited nutritive value. Seed a major source of contamination in fleece/skin. It grows most through the spring and summer months, flowering in the autumn.

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The Monaro Grassland Program

Poa labillardieri

The Monaro Grassland Program (MGP) was established in 2002 to provide support to landholders managing native grasses for productivity and conservation on the Monaro.

The objective of the MGP is to guide the investment of resources in achieving a new model for native grassland management that combines the dual outcomes of sustainable grazing and biodiversity conservation for the Monaro region.

The MGP is coordinated by the SRCMA in conjunction with a range of partners including the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), three local Shire Councils, landholders, a local agronomist, a technical grassland specialist and conservation groups.

The MGP recognises the challenges that landholders face in adopting a new model, including;

• Lack of information of grassland and weed extent,
• Declining terms of trade,
• Climatic variability,
• High conservation value grasslands occur on private property,
• An aging farm population, and
• Grassland weed invasion (large problem for individuals alone to manage).

The MGP consists of five projects;

1. Monaro Grassland Research and Demonstration Project
2. Monaro Grassland Modelling Project
3. Priority Weed Mapping Project
4. Monaro Grassland Conservation Management Network
5. Monaro Grassland Pilot Area Project

The MGP is guided by the draft Monaro Grassland Strategy (2002-2006).

95% of agricultural production on the Monaro comes from merino wool and beef cattle

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What has been achieved so far?

The draft Monaro Grassland Strategy has established broad objectives to guide the principles behind the Monaro Grassland Program (MGP). The strategy also establishes aims for each of the five projects. Each project has actions divided into two phases — actions that develop and establish the project (phase 1) and actions which will implement the project (phase 2).

Right: Monaro Grassland Conservation Management Network membership sign

 
 

Left: Collecting data from the Bungarby trial site

Map of pilot area

Projects:

• 1. Monaro Grassland Research and Demonstration Project
• 2. Monaro Grassland Modelling Project
• 3. Priority Weed Mapping Project
• 4. Monaro Grassland Conservation Management Network
• 5. Monaro Grassland Pilot Area Project

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1. Monaro Grassland Research and Demonstration Project

Background:
This Project has four parts. Each part addresses a series of knowledge gaps that when filled will aid decision making for the grazing industries on the Monaro.

The first trial is the most significant. It is called the Monaro Grassland Grazing Trial. It aims to provide much of the background information about two of the most common ecological communities used for grazing. It will investigate what effects different management has on the productivity and bio-diversity within them. Current advice being given on the management of these communities for grazing has been extended from research in other regions, experience and ‘best guesses’.

The second trial is the Monaro Legume Evaluation Trial. It explores the options of different introduced species being used to enhance the productivity and persistence of Monaro pastures.

The third trial is the Monaro Innovative Control of Serrated Tussock Trial. It addresses the lack of options for control of this noxious weed in areas of little productive value and limited access.

The last trial is the Monaro Recycled Organics Trial. It will help the DEC in recommending to Local Governments what form of product could best be made from household waste in order to return nutrients to the agricultural system.

Outcomes achieved so far:

• Literature review conducted, formation of research reference group and project proposals including trial methodologies developed for all four research trials;
• Cooperative landholders and trial sites selected;
• Trial sites established, including assessing current condition of land capacity and building new infrastructure;
• Set up of database for results;
• Ongoing data analysis;
• Field days (2 per year) conducted to demonstrate the aim of the trial sites to local landholders.

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2. Monaro Grassland Modelling Project

Background
Vegetation mapping enables land managers to understand the distribution and range of vegetation types across the landscape. The original Monaro grassland mapping work was undertaken by Costin in 1954.

Further vegetation mapping work was undertaken in 2000 as part of the Comprehensive Regional Assessment (CRA) forest ecosystems survey. Both mapping surveys provided some useful data but a more detailed grassland map of the Monaro was still needed.

This project is attempting to produce the first detailed grassland vegetation map of the Monaro, using multi image spectral analysis (satellite image data analysis over several seasons) associated with extensive ground truthing. The methodology was developed following vegetation mapping done for previous planning exercises.

The map will broadly describes all grassy vegetation including exotic pastures, crops, native pastures and native grasslands, secondary grasslands (derived from clearing of woodland and forest) and grassy woodlands. The map will provide baseline data for the Monaro and specifically for the pilot area project. It will be a useful tool for developing conservation and sustainable grazing agreements on properties and provide landholders with information on the range of grassland communities occurring on their properties.

Outcomes achieved so far:

• The mapping project was scoped and a brief developed;
• A suitably qualified consultant was selected and a contract developed;
• 300 ground truthing data points collected
• First version of the model, map and report was produced;
• 250 additional ground truthing data points collected to improve confidence levels

Stackhousia monogyna

Tetratheca bauerifolia

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3. Priority Weed Mapping Project

Serrated tussock is listed as Noxious and also has the status of being a Weed of National Significance. Native to South America, serrated tussock is a significant problem covering more than 820,000 ha in NSW in mostly cooler temperate areas (such as the Monaro and Southern Tablelands).

Aerial surveys conducted between 1999-2002 resulted in serrated tussock infestations being mapped for approximately 50% of the Monaro. However, the coverage was variable with very little of Bombala LGA being mapped and most of Cooma-Monaro LGA having been covered.

This project aimed to map serrated tussock infestations in remaining critical areas, combine datasets and carry out analysis to produce regional maps showing baseline serrated tussock infestations prior to the SMBCS implementation. Training and some resources were also required to enable each Council to move to on-ground mapping of weed infestations during property inspections, to provide ongoing monitoring of weed infestations.

Outcomes achieved so far:

• Project scoped and project brief developed;
• A helicopter contractor engaged to conduct aerial surveys;
• 112,000 ha of survey work completed for Snowy River and Bombala Shires;
• Qualified consultant engaged to undertake data analysis and map production including collation of all aerial surveys and converted into one data format and projection (total coverage of 878,000 ha of the Monaro);
• Publication of serrated tussock infestation maps; and
• Serrated tussock infestation maps used to gather statistics on pre-2003 infestations

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4. Monaro Grassland Conservation Management Network

Background
The Monaro Grassland Conservation Management Network (MGCMN) was established in 2002 by the Monaro Grassland Advisory Committee and WWF Australia, with funding from the NSW Government, to cement the grassland conservation work they had conducted since 1995.

Conservation Management Networks are networks of areas containing examples of one particular ecosystem, across all land tenures and land uses. Their purpose is to assist and promote the conservation, good management and protection of this ecosystem while allowing continued use for a variety of purposes.

After the establishment year under NSW Environmental Trust funding, on-going funding was required to support the Network in the longer term. The MGCMN was adopted by the SRCMA in 2003.

Outcomes achieved so far:

• Undertake property visits for new people expressing interest in the network;
• Production of a quarterly newsletter and other educational material for network members;
• 4 field days/working bees per year for network members — to improve their knowledge of native grasslands and their management;
• Management agreements developed for grassland conservation, including delivery of incentive funding;
• Provision of technical advice into the development of Conservation and Sustainable Grazing (CSG) Plans for landholders in the Pilot Area;
• Regular representation on a range of grassland management committees;
• Support and technical grassland advice provided to landholders at DPI research trial field days.

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5. Monaro Grassland Pilot Area Project

Background

The pilot area was developed as a concept based on several key principles:

• Conservation through regulation has been unsuccessful (ie. SEPP46, NVCA 1997)
• Have voluntary participation of landholders
• Unique regional approach to natural resource management — balancing conservation and agricultural productivity
• Recognises and assists with weed control

The geographical area selected for the pilot area was chosen based on an area where all three local government shires boundaries crossed. This was deemed important because it provided collaboration and trial with all three local council weed control authorities. The area selected was also appropriate because it represented a range of landholders, social and economic values and different biophysical attributes.

Outcomes achieved so far:

• Selection criteria for a pilot area defined, including selection of a suitable geographical area;
• A database established of all landholders, properties and land tenure within the pilot area;
• Social benchmarking data collected - 75% of all landholders in the pilot area surveyed (landholder attitudes, barriers to adoption and personal goals);
• Collation of material for an extension package suitable for landholders;
• Guidelines developed for a weed control incentive program;
• Guidelines developed for a Conservation and Sustainable Grazing (CSG) Plans incentive program;
• Weed control incentive program commenced
• CSG Plans incentive program commenced
• 4 training courses/field days conducted for landholders — to improve their knowledge of native grasslands and their management;
• Ongoing communication with landholders including ‘update’ letters, phone calls and property inspections.

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Monaro Grassland Program - Publications

• Monaro Grassland Program Newsletter (no info yet)
• Monaro Grasslands Conservation Management Network Newsletter (no info yet)
• Predictive Model of Monaro Grasslands pre-1750
• Monaro Grasslands Model 2005 (no info yet)
• Serrated Tussock map 2003

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