Grant for grazing biodiversity trials

USQ Senior Lecturer in Ecology & Sustainability, Dr Andy Le Brocque, and his team within the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC), have received a $61,000 grant to continue grazing-biodiversity trials in the Traprock region of Southern Queensland.

The grazing exclusion trials, are to be funded by the two-year grant from Land and Water Australia to the USQ group, and are a continuation of research conducted by a collaboration between USQ researchers, Traprock Wool Association Inc., and Queensland Murray Darling Committee (QMDC).

'As part of the ecological work in the early multi-disciplinary project, we recognised the need to gain a better understanding of the biodiversity potential of the region by setting up sheep grazing exclosures and monitoring the responses of the vegetation,' Dr Le Brocque said.

'The continuation of funding is recognition of the quality of the research and need for a better understanding of biodiversity in these agro-ecosystems.'

The original research, which started in 2004 and funded under the Land Water & Wool program, culminated in the launch in 2006 of an online resource management toolkit for the region’s woolgrowers.

'We are already seeing graziers incorporating recommendations and monitoring tools from that earlier work to their property planning and making more informed decisions regarding grazing management in relation to biodiversity benefits,' he said.

'This research will further add to this process.'

The grazing exclosure trials consist of monitoring the responses of ground cover vegetation to the exclusion of both sheep and native herbivores at eighteen study sites across 13 properties in the Traprock region and were set up in February 2005.

'After just one year of the trial we saw a response in terms of the cover of grasses and herbs in exclosure plots compared to grazed plots, although we have not yet seen any change in species richness or composition,' Dr Le Brocque said.

'The property owners are an integral part of the research and, as well as giving up small portions of their properties for the trials, have been helping to maintain the exclosures in working order.'

Project manager and sustainable landscapes program leader in the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments, Dr Geoff Cockfield (Faculty of Business) welcomed the news.

'The research represents the continued commitment by USQ to the conduct of quality research into sustainable land use and the engagement of stakeholders and the wider community.'

Media Contact: Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1628