Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons^™

Greenhouse Gas Accounting For Western Australian Agriculture 2023, Johnny Machon, Christophe D'Abbadie

Climate Science Published Reports

This report presents new modelling of the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Western Australia’s agricultural industries and provides an overview of sequestration at the state level. The report updates the estimates from previous technical reports by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). It presents not only emissions from agricultural activities in Western Australia (WA) but also from the production of agricultural inputs and energy use. This broader picture of emissions aligns with frameworks for emissions reporting at the business and product level.

Total on-farm and pre-farm emissions are estimated to have been about 12.6–13.3 million tonnes of …

Carbon Footprint Of Carrots In Western Australia, Christophe D'Abbadie, Saloomeh Akbari, Sang Ravindran

Horticulture research reports

This report presents the findings of a comprehensive carbon accounting study conducted on carrot production in the Myalup area of Western Australia.

The study reveals that carrot emissions are approximately 81 kg CO2e per tonne of carrot sold from the April harvest and 76 kg CO2e per tonne from the October harvest, when using rejected carrots for other economic uses. These figures represent competitive emissions intensities compared to international benchmarks.

Key findings include:

• Yield improvement is the primary driver for emissions reduction: Increasing productivity, without proportional input increases, offers the most effective pathway to lower emissions’ intensity while improving economic …

Evolution Of Agricultural Emissions Calculations In Australia: Methodological And Calculator Refinements And Their Impact On Western Australia’S Agricultural Carbon Footprint, Christophe D'Abbadie

Climate Science Published Reports

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting is fundamental to positioning Australian agricultural products competitively in global markets, enabling supply chain stakeholders to make informed decisions, and understanding the trade-offs between market demands, policy requirements, consumer expectations, and intergenerational responsibilities.

Recent methodological refinements to emissions methodologies have enhanced the accuracy of GHG accounting in Western Australian (WA) agriculture. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has collaborated in these improvements through collaborative research with universities and federal agencies and advocacy for Western Australia-specific emission factors.

Methodological refinements have improved the accuracy of WA agricultural emissions estimates by 6% overall, providing …

Fisheries Research Report No. 361: 2024 Assessment Of The Status Of The Elasmobranch Resource Of Western Australia, Matias Braccini, Alex Hesp

Fisheries Research Reports

This document provides the 2024 risk-based weight of evidence stock assessment for the elasmobranch (sharks and rays) resource of Western Australia (WA). Gummy (Mustelus antarcticus), dusky (Carcharhinus obscurus), whiskery (Furgaleus macki), and sandbar (C. plumbeus) sharks are the most commonly captured species (~80% of the elasmobranch catch) and have been selected as indicator species for the status of the temperate elasmobranch ‘suite’. However, over 100 elasmobranch species have been caught in commercial and/or recreational fisheries in WA and, with the increasing number of elasmobranch species being listed in national and international protection lists, species-specific scientific advice on stock status at …

State And Transition Models For Mulga Rangelands Of Western Australia, Alison O'Donnell, Anna E. Richards, Suzanne Prober, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Sarah Luxton, Ian Watson, Brett Abbott, Philip Thomas, Joshua E. Foster

Natural resources published reports

This report details a collaborative project between the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and CSIRO that focused on developing State and Transition Models (STMs) for mulga rangelands in Western Australia. The overarching aim of the project was to improve the common understanding of the characteristics and dynamics of mulga rangeland ecosystems and the expected impacts of management. Specifically, the project aimed to collate expert knowledge and monitoring information using a nationally consistent framework to develop quantitative and dynamic STMs. The geographic scope of the project covers the extensive mulga rangelands of Western Australia, particularly the Gascoyne …

Managing Salinity: Fence And Volunteer Pasture, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

This treatment is recommended for saline sites that can support a mix of salt tolerant species and some non-tolerant pasture species, where livestock are present. It may also be the preferred solution for farmers who wish to see an improvement in their land at low cost.

The department recommends that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan.

Fallow And Red Deer: Requirements To Keep, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

This factsheet provides information on the requirements for keeping fallow and red deer species in Western Australia.

Fallow (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) are declared pests under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Act 2007 in Western Australia (WA).

The department assists in preventing the establishment of deer in the wild. This means a permit is required to keep fallow and red deer in WA. Animals that escape or become feral must be recaptured or destroyed.

Small populations of feral deer occur in WA from escaped captive stock and deliberate release. Deer damage native plants, crops and plantation …

Roaded Catchments In Wa, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Roaded catchments are earthwork structures designed to increase the amount of run-off from the catchment above a receiving farm dam.

Roaded catchments are lined with clay and compacted to make a smooth surface that reduces infiltration and increases run-off. Roaded catchments should discharge into a silt trap and then into a dam (excavated earth tank). This combined structure should be fenced to exclude livestock.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that roaded catchments are part of an integrated water and salinity management program.

The information in this page is only a guide – seek expert advice before …

Greenhouse Gas Accounting For Western Australian Agriculture 2022, Johnny Machon, Mandy Curnow, Christophe D'Abbadie

Climate Science Published Reports

This report presents new modelling of the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Western Australia’s agricultural industries and provides an overview of sequestration at the state level. The report improves and expands on the estimates from previous technical reports by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), most notably Curnow et al. (2022). The report presents a new, much broader picture, capturing not only emissions from agricultural activities in Western Australia (WA), but also the emissions associated with the production of agricultural inputs and the sequestration that occurs on agriculturally managed lands. This broader picture of emissions aligns with …

Gorse And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Gorse (Ulex europaeus) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements that landowners/occupiers must adhere to, pest control methods and how to search, detect and report it.

Gorse is a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) present in Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory; it is not present in the Northern Territory. Gorse is a declared pest plant in WA.

European Wasp Information For Local Government, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The department’s European wasp surveillance and eradication program is a yearly campaign, aimed at detecting the presence of this destructive pest as early as possible so that nests can be found and eradicated.

The continued success of European wasp surveillance and eradication program relies on surveillance in metropolitan Perth and regional areas, strong community awareness, and participation between residents, business owners, community groups, industry, and government.

Yellow Crazy Ant, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) are believed to be native to west Africa or Asia. They are not present in Western Australia (WA) and are prohibited.

Yellow crazy ants were first observed in Australia in the early 1900’s on the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island, where they have now caused a massive decline in the population of iconic red crabs. More recently, they have been recorded in Queensland, the Northern Territory (NT), and New South Wales (NSW).

Feral Donkey, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Donkeys (Equus asinus) were first imported in substantial numbers to Australia in 1866 by Sir Thomas Elder. They were used as pack and draught animals in outlying areas of Western Australia (WA) until the 1930s. They were eventually replaced by the motor vehicle, and unwanted donkeys were released to the wild, where they became feral. The first record of feral donkeys is from the Kimberley in the early 1930s, but it is possible they became feral much earlier.

Pasture Data Reconciliation Of The South West Agricultural Zone Of Western Australia September 2024, Tafesse Estifanos, Amir Abadi Ghadim, Paul Mattingley, Kate Pritchett, Tony Della Bosca

Animal production and livestock published reports

Western Australia’s (WA) agricultural land use system features extensive pasture land vital for grazing sheep and cattle. Most pastures in the south west of Western Australia consist of annual species that grow during the cool, wet winters of the Mediterranean climate and senesce in the warm to hot, dry summers. Understanding the spatial distribution of pasture areas within the context of mixed farming is essential for developing effective land management strategies to enhance livestock production and profitability through balanced pasture supply and demand.

This report focuses on reconciling pasture area data for the south-west of Western Australia’s agricultural zone across …

Epbc 2010/5491: Weaber Plain Development Project Compliance Report - 1st May 2023 To 30th April 2024, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Weaber Plain Development Project (Goomig Project) was approved on 13 September 2011. The approval reference is EPBC 2010/5491 (the Approval).

The Goomig Project comprises irrigated farmland, associated infrastructure, and a buffer area on the Weaber Plain located about 30km north-northeast of Kununurra in Western Australia. Figure 1 shows the location and layout of the Goomig Project and interface with other projects including the Knox Creek Plain Irrigation Development (EPBC 2014/7143), Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc mining project, and Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) Stage 1 'Cave Springs' farms.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is the Goomig …

Carbon Neutral By 2030 - Katanning Research Station, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Climate Science Published Reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) Katanning Research Station (KRS) is developing practical techniques and methods for mitigating carbon emissions from the livestock industry.

This research will help the livestock industry in Western Australia (WA) access anticipated future markets for carbon neutral food and fibre products.

Fisheries Science Update - Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource - November 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key points: 2023 stock assessment outcomes:

• The Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource (PDSR) spans from the North West Cape to 120ºE and comprises over 60 demersal scalefish species, including indicator species red emperor, rankin cod, and bluespotted emperor.
• The PDSR is accessed by recreational fishers, charter operators and three commercial fisheries: Pilbara Fish Trawl (Interim) Managed Fishery, Pilbara Trap Managed Fishery, and the Pilbara Line Fishery.
• The PDSR is a key ‘food bowl’ for Western Australia, supplying the local market with about 2,500 tonnes of demersal scalefish annually.
• The PDSR provides unique and valuable recreational fishing opportunities at locations such as …

Fisheries Science Update - Spanish Mackerel - November 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key Points: 2023 stock assessment:

• The statewide large pelagic finfish resource (SWLPR) is distributed throughout Western Australia (WA) and includes a range of tropical and temperate pelagic species.
• Spanish mackerel is an indicator species for the SWLPR.
• The latest stock assessment provides a ‘health check” on the status of WA Spanish mackerel statewide and in each management region.
• The 2023 stock assessment shows WA Spanish mackerel remains sustainable with some concerns in the Pilbara region.
• Current management measures are expected to maintain WA Spanish mackerel at an acceptable level outside the Pilbara region.
• The next Spanish Mackerel stock assessment is …

Fisheries Science Update - Western Australian Salmon Resource - September 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key points: 2023 stock assessment outcomes:

• The latest weight of evidence stock assessment for Western Australian salmon indicates the status of the stock is adequate and the risk to the stock is low. This means that there are no sustainability concerns for the stock.
• The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) tracks our aquatic resources by undertaking weight of evidence stock assessments on a regular basis.
• This science update follows on from the previous Western Australian salmon update in 2017.
• Detailed information on the latest stock assessment is available in Fisheries Research Report No. 336.

Epbc 2010/5491: Weaber Plain Development Project Compliance Report - 1st May 2022 To 30th April 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Weaber Plain Development Project (Goomig Project) was approved on 13 September 2011. The approval reference is EPBC 2010/5491 (the Approval).

The Goomig Project comprises irrigated farmland, associated infrastructure, and a buffer area on the Weaber Plain located about 30km north-northeast of Kununurra in Western Australia. Figure 1 shows the location and layout of the Goomig Project and interface with other projects including the Knox Creek Plain Irrigation Development (EPBC 2014/7143), Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc mining project, and Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) Stage 1 'Cave Springs' farms.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is the Goomig …

Gouldian Finch Monitoring: Foraging Activity And Grass Phenology - Goomig Project 2022 To 2023, J Graff

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Goomig Project (Weaber Plains Development Project) is an irrigated agricultural development located approximately 30 km north of Kununurra, which involves clearing of approximately 9,260 ha of vegetation for agriculture. Approximately 11,470 ha of native vegetation surrounding, or remaining between, the cleared areas is designated as a buffer area (the study area) to be managed to protect surrounding conservation reserves and watercourses (Strategen 2014). Monitoring of Gouldian Finch wet season foraging activity and phenology and productivity of grasses important for foraging in the buffer area during ongoing operation are required as conditions of the approval for the project, and is …

Gouldian Finch Monitoring: Nesting Activity - Goomig Project 2022 To 2023, H Winter

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Goomig Project (Weaber Plains Development Project) is an irrigated agricultural development located approximately 30 km north of Kununurra, which involved clearing approximately 9,260 ha of vegetation for agriculture. Approximately 11,470 ha of native vegetation surrounding, or remaining between, the cleared areas has been designated as a buffer area (the study area for this report) to be managed to protect surrounding conservation reserves and watercourses (Strategen 2014). Gouldian Finch monitoring in the buffer area during ongoing operations is required as a condition of project approval, and is outlined in the Gouldian Finch Conservation Plan (GFCP; Strategen 2014). Item 7 of …

Fisheries Science Update - Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Resource - April 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Science Updates

Key points: 2022 stock assessment outcomes:

• The Gascoyne Demersal Scalefish Resource (GDSR) comprises more than 60 species inhabiting Gascoyne oceanic waters (excluding inner Shark Bay), with pink snapper and goldband snapper recognised as the two indicator species.
• Oceanic pink snapper is five years into a 20-year recovery plan following a 2017 stock assessment that showed the stock was at severe risk.
• The GDSR oceanic pink snapper recovery plan is based on limiting the annual total fishing mortality of oceanic pink snapper to 100 tonnes (all sectors combined) and providing targeted protection for key spawning aggregations.
• The Department of Primary Industries …

Oria Stage Ii Expansion: Keep River Post-Development Aquatic Fauna And Targeted Sawfish Survey - 2022, Indopacific Environmental, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

This report presents the results of the 2022 Keep River Aquatic Fauna and Targeted Sawfish Survey which represents the final post-development survey required as per the project conditions of the Goomig Irrigation Development. Unlike the 2021 survey, which was affected by pandemic related travel restrictions that prohibited some sites from being surveyed, all regular monitoring sites were able to be sampled in 2022. Field work was undertaken September 2022 and sampling and analyses undertaken during the current study aligned with standardised methodologies set forth in the Ord River Irrigation Area – Weaber Plain Development Project Aquatic Fauna Management Plan.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Options For Western Australian Agriculture, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Climate Science Published Reports

The Western Australian (WA) Government is committed to building the climate resilience of the agriculture industry. The WA Climate Change Policy underscores this commitment to adapting to climate change and working with all sectors of the economy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Achieving climate resilience requires both adaptation and the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which accelerate climate change.

The Sectoral Emissions Reduction Strategies (SERS) are a core commitment of the Western Australian Climate Policy. These will provide robust and credible emissions reduction pathways across sectors for the whole of WA. Development of the SERS, announced in …

Pasture Condition Guides For The Southern Rangelands, Including The Gascoyne, Murchison And Goldfields-Nullarbor, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Philip We Thomas, Wayne J. Fletcher, Kath Ryan, Joshua E. Foster, John K. Stretch, Jim S. Addison

Bulletins 4000 -

These guides address a recognised gap in readily applicable and easily accessible information on southern rangelands pasture condition and management.

These guides provide descriptions and images for southern rangelands pastures with similar management requirements for the grazing of native pastures by livestock. Therefore, the focus is on palatability of vegetation to livestock, and the effects of livestock management and external factors on the condition of the vegetation and soils.

The first section provides an overview and map, introduces concepts and terms important to understanding arid shrubland management in general, these guides in particular, and includes an economic analysis of the …

Land Systems, Soils And Vegetation Of The Southern Goldfields And Great Western Woodlands Of Western Australia - Volume 1, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Paul Galloway

Technical Bulletins

This technical bulletin defines and maps the land resources of the southern Goldfields region of Western Australia (WA). The southern Goldfields region, as featured in this bulletin, covers 151,753 km². The western and eastern borders are variable because they align with various cadastral boundaries. The western survey border, which in part follows the WA State Barrier Fence, demarcates cleared agricultural land from the intact, western extent of the Great Western Woodlands. The eastern border abuts the westernmost Nullarbor pastoral lease boundaries, except for the north-easternmost and south-easternmost edges which continue into Crown land. Major towns are Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie …

Land Systems, Soils And Vegetation Of The Southern Goldfields And Great Western Woodlands Of Western Australia - Volume 2, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Paul Galloway

Technical Bulletins

This technical bulletin defines and maps the land resources of the southern Goldfields region of Western Australia (WA). The southern Goldfields region, as featured in this bulletin, covers 151,753 km². The western and eastern borders are variable because they align with various cadastral boundaries. The western survey border, which in part follows the WA State Barrier Fence, demarcates cleared agricultural land from the intact, western extent of the Great Western Woodlands. The eastern border abuts the westernmost Nullarbor pastoral lease boundaries, except for the north-easternmost and south-easternmost edges which continue into Crown land. Major towns are Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie …

Epbc 2010/5491: Weaber Plain Development Project Annual Environmental Report - 1st May 2021 To 30th April 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia, Kimberley Boab Consulting

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

This Weaber Plain Development Project EPBC Annual Environment Report for the period 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2022 has been developed in accordance with Condition 3 of the Commonwealth Environmental Approval for the Weaber Plain Development Project, EPBC 2010/5491, issued under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.

The Western Australian Government, Kimberley Agricultural Investment Pty Ltd (KAI) and the Yawoorroong Miriuwung Gajerrong Yirrgeb Noong Dawang Aboriginal Corporation (MG Corp) are completing farm development and conducting irrigated agriculture across the Weaber Plain, north of Kununurra in the eastern Kimberley region of WA.

This report has been prepared …

Gouldian Finch Monitoring: Foraging Activity And Grass Phenology - Goomig Project 2021 To 2022, J Graff

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Goomig Project (Weaber Plains Development Project) is an irrigated agricultural development located approximately 30 km north of Kununurra, which involves clearing of approximately 9,260 ha of vegetation for agriculture. Approximately 11,470 ha of native vegetation surrounding, or remaining between, the cleared areas is designated as a buffer area (the study area) to be managed to protect surrounding conservation reserves and watercourses (Strategen 2014). Monitoring of Gouldian Finch wet season foraging activity and phenology and productivity of grasses important for foraging in the buffer area during ongoing operation are required as conditions of the approval for the project, and is …