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Full-Text Articles in Natural Resources Management and Policy

Using Landsat Satellite Imagery To Estimate Groundcover In The Grainbelt Of Western Australia, Justin Laycock, Nick Middleton, Karen Holmes Dec 2022

Using Landsat Satellite Imagery To Estimate Groundcover In The Grainbelt Of Western Australia, Justin Laycock, Nick Middleton, Karen Holmes

Resource management technical reports

Maintaining vegetative groundcover is an important component of sustainable agricultural systems and plays a critical function for soil and land conservation in Western Australia’s (WA) grainbelt (the south-west cropping region). This report describes how satellite imagery can be used to quantitatively and objectively estimate total vegetative groundcover, both in near real time and historically across large areas. We used the Landsat seasonal fractional groundcover products developed by the Joint Remote Sensing Research Program from the extensive archive of Landsat imagery. These products provide an estimate of the percentage of green vegetation, non-green vegetation and bare soil for each 30 m …


Shay Gap Soil Survey: Investigating The Suitability Of Soils And Landforms For Irrigated Agriculture In The Western West Canning Basin, Paul Galloway, Dennis Van Gool, Justin Laycock, Karen Holmes, David Rowe Nov 2018

Shay Gap Soil Survey: Investigating The Suitability Of Soils And Landforms For Irrigated Agriculture In The Western West Canning Basin, Paul Galloway, Dennis Van Gool, Justin Laycock, Karen Holmes, David Rowe

Resource management technical reports

This report describes the soil and land resources of the Shay Gap study area (SA), which is south of Wallal Downs Station, in unallocated Crown land in the Shire of East Pilbara. It assesses the study area’s capability for three types of irrigated agriculture and examines land resources to ensure any future irrigation developments are sustainable and do not degrade the environment.

The Shay Gap SA lies within the West Canning Basin, an area of about 3500 square kilometres at the western margin of the onshore Canning Basin. The West Canning Basin has a substantial groundwater resource that provides fresh …


Soil Groups Of Western Australia: A Simple Guide To The Main Soils Of Western Australia (4th Edn), Noel R. Schoknecht, Shahab Pathan Mar 2013

Soil Groups Of Western Australia: A Simple Guide To The Main Soils Of Western Australia (4th Edn), Noel R. Schoknecht, Shahab Pathan

Resource management technical reports

This publication provides a simple, standardised and easy-to-understand way to recognise the most common soils in Western Australia.

It is designed to:

1) Provide a standard way of giving common names to the main soils of the State;

2) Provide a simple method to identify them;

3) Assist with the communication of soils information at a general level.


Changing Land Use On Unproductive Soils, Andrew Blake, Mike Clarke, Angela Stuart-Street Jan 2012

Changing Land Use On Unproductive Soils, Andrew Blake, Mike Clarke, Angela Stuart-Street

Resource management technical reports

A three year study completed in 2010 examined farming systems in the north-eastern agricultural region and eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia which experienced a succession of variable seasons from 2000. This culminated in severe drought in 2006 and 2007. At that time, farmers experienced labour shortages and declining terms of trade triggered by cost inflation outpacing growth in commodity prices. As a result, farm business equity was eroded as farm debt escalated. This left many farm businesses in a highly vulnerable state. At the time of the study many farmers were facing an uncertain future.

These experiences, coupled with a …


Land Evaluation Standards For Land Resource Mapping : Assessing Land Qualities And Determining Land Capability In South-Western Australia, Dennis Van Gool, Peter J. Tille, Geoff Allen Moore Jan 2005

Land Evaluation Standards For Land Resource Mapping : Assessing Land Qualities And Determining Land Capability In South-Western Australia, Dennis Van Gool, Peter J. Tille, Geoff Allen Moore

Resource management technical reports

This report describes the standard method for attributing and evaluating conventional land resource survey maps in the south-west agriculture region of Western Australia so that strategic decisions about the management, development and conservation of land resources can be based on the best information available. The standards described are similar to the land suitability assessment (stage one of the two stage) methods described by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO, 1976, 1983).


Curbur Station : Inventory Of The Range And Its Management, Alexander Mcrae Holm Dec 1982

Curbur Station : Inventory Of The Range And Its Management, Alexander Mcrae Holm

Resource management technical reports

Ten land systems were identified, descriped and mapped. potential feed status was assessed for each land system. The land systems were then ranked accordingly and stocking rates allocated. Wongdong saline shrublands was considered to be the most productive system and Narryer hills, outcrops and breakaways the least productive. An assessment was made of the range condition and erosion status of the least. These assessments indicated that most of the pastures had been heavily utilized in the past.


Quobba Point Chalet Development Land Capability Study [And] Environmental Consideration, J R H Riches, L E. Chalmers Dec 1982

Quobba Point Chalet Development Land Capability Study [And] Environmental Consideration, J R H Riches, L E. Chalmers

Resource management technical reports

The preferred area for development is the Old Stabilised Dune System. The Hind Dune Flat is a stable area but is limited in size. Other environmental and town planning considerations may militate against development of this area for Chalet Development.


Land Degradation In The Fitzroy Valley Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia. Rangeland Management Branch Aug 1981

Land Degradation In The Fitzroy Valley Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia. Rangeland Management Branch

Resource management technical reports

The report reassesses the condition of formerly valuable grazing lands of the Fitzroy River valley frontage lands. It is hoped that the submission will promote discussion on the problems of degenerated pastoral land and increase the resolve of all concerned to take the necessary action for their restoration. The frontage lands flank the major rivers of the area, the Fitzroy, the Margaret and the Meda and their tributaries. The frontage is capable of supporting the best pastures in the Kimberley, but unwise and uncontrolled stocking has profoundly degraded and eroded the most productive parts. There are about 5,800 square kilometres …