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| Rangelands NRM | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rangelands NRM |
| Type | Natural resource management |
| Region | Australia |
| Established | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Western Australia |
Rangelands NRM is a regional natural resource management body focused on sustainable stewardship of arid and semi‑arid landscapes in Australia. It operates at the intersection of landholder Western Australia stakeholders, Indigenous communities such as the Noongar people and Martu people, federal agencies like the Commonwealth of Australia, and research institutions including the CSIRO and the Australian National University. The organisation works with policy instruments related to the Native Vegetation Act era and broader programs launched under initiatives akin to the Natural Heritage Trust and the Caring for our Country program.
Rangelands NRM coordinates conservation, pastoralist, mining and cultural heritage interests across bioregions like the Pilbara, Kimberley, Gascoyne and Goldfields-Esperance. It engages with stakeholders from the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia and the National Farmers' Federation to balance production with biodiversity priorities identified by agencies such as the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (Australia) and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (Western Australia). Collaborations include partnerships with universities such as the University of Western Australia and the Curtin University and non‑government organisations like WWF-Australia and The Nature Conservancy.
The region encompasses ecosystems ranging from Mitchell grass plains and mulga shrublands to spinifex hummock grasslands, saltbush shrublands and ephemeral wetland systems found in catchments like the Ashburton River and Gascoyne River. Faunal assemblages include species listed under conservation frameworks such as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: examples are the Greater Bilby, Gouldian Finch, Ningaloo reef‑associated taxa, and migratory birds protected under treaties like the JAMBA and CAMBA agreements. Vegetation communities intersect with cultural sites managed under frameworks like the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 1972 and protected areas such as the Shark Bay World Heritage Area and Karijini National Park.
Best practice incorporates rotational grazing models informed by research from centres like the CSIRO and applied extension delivered with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Western Australia). Techniques include strategic fire regimes aligned with Indigenous fire management traditions practised by groups such as the Martu people and Yolngu people, invasive species control targeting pests like Feral goat and European rabbit, and feral predator management addressing species including the Red fox and feral cat. Water management utilises catchment planning similar to schemes overseen by the Australian Water Association and riparian restoration guided by principles in studies by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.
Rangelands NRM operates within the jurisdictional overlay of state instruments such as the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (Western Australia) and national policy frameworks including the National Landcare Program. Governance engages regional advisory boards, Indigenous ranger programs modelled after the Working on Country initiative, and compliance pathways tied to approvals under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Strategic planning aligns with bioregional assessments like those produced by the Bureau of Meteorology and land use planning authorities including the Western Australian Planning Commission.
Economic activities in the region include pastoralism linked to companies and cooperatives represented by the Meat and Livestock Australia sector, mining operations regulated through entities like the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (Western Australia), and tourism focussed on attractions such as the Ningaloo Coast and Horizontal Falls. Social dimensions engage Indigenous employment through ranger and cultural enterprises, community resilience initiatives funded by programs akin to the Regional Development Australia network, and education outreach conducted with schools and TAFE institutions such as South Regional TAFE and the Pilbara Institute.
Monitoring systems draw on remote sensing platforms operated by organisations such as Geoscience Australia and satellite services like those used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the European Space Agency. On‑ground assessment frameworks adapt protocols from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research for rangeland condition, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity surveys. Research partnerships include collaborative projects with the University of Melbourne, Monash University, and the Griffith University focusing on climate resilience, fire ecology, and pastoral productivity.
Primary threats comprise climate change effects modelled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, invasive species such as Prickly pear and Buffel grass, altered fire regimes, soil erosion in catchments like the Murchison River, and cumulative impacts from mining expansions by corporations regulated under frameworks like the Environmental Protection Authority (Western Australia). Restoration strategies emphasise landscape‑scale revegetation using native seedbanks curated with botanical expertise from institutions such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Western Australian Herbarium, targeted feral animal eradication campaigns inspired by work around Kangaroo Island and Lord Howe Island, and social licence building through Indigenous co‑management models exemplified by the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara land management arrangements. Adaptive management cycles are informed by monitoring outcomes and international best practice disseminated by bodies like the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Category:Conservation in Western Australia