The Native Vegetation Research and Development Program commenced in 1994. It is now in its third phase of research now known as the Native Vegetation and Biodiversity R&D Program. The Program has established that a strong link exists between maintaining productive landscapes and managing healthy native vegetation systems. The Program continues to generate knowledge on managing vegetation as a result of partnerships and collaborations with Land & Water Australia.
Understanding vegetation in production landscapes (1994 - 2000)
Phase one of the Program established itself as Australia's leading research broker into the social, economic and ecological aspects of native vegetation management in rural landscapes. The Program was a joint initiative of Land & Water Australia and the Department of the Environment and Heritage.
More than 30 ecological, socio-economic and planning projects were funded looking into practical measures to reverse biodiversity loss, and develop measures to support the development of policies and programs to help manage remnant vegetation in rural environments.
Key messages from this phase revealed that:
- cost-sharing incentives are a critical component of improved vegetation practises on private land;
- understanding the value systems and perceptions of different stakeholders can lead to more targeted and effective approaches to management and education;
- few landholders incorporate management of native vegetation into their property plans, cropping or grazing strategies or management activities;
- managing remnant vegetation needs to be considered at a number of scales.
The complexity of addressing multiple goals at multiple scales required continued investment in vegetation management and phase two of the programme was initiated.
Practical considerations for managing native vegetation (2000 - 2005)
The second phase of research commenced in July 2000 and was managed by Land & Water Australia in partnership with CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, CSIRO Plant Industry and the Murray Darling Basin Commission. Other contributors to the program included Greening Australia and State Government agencies.
Research projects in 2000 - 2005 focused on:
- the long-term status and viability of native vegetation
- integrating native vegetation into agricultural production systems
- testing different landscape design principles and methods for biodiversity conservation
Land & Water Australia has commenced a number of activities to synthesise the knowledge gained from this research which will include the delivery of regional workshops, publications and forums.
Healthy ecosystems, healthy landscapes (2005 - 2010)
Partnering with CSIRO, the third and current phase of the program recognises that native vegetation and the diversity within it, plays a critical role in providing ecosystem services such as filtering water and in providing important landscape functions such as reducing salinity.
Increasingly, woody vegetation is also recognised as providing critical roles in maintaining production systems such as mitigating the risks of climate change through carbon sequestration.
Under the new Native Vegetation and Biodiversity program, 15 new research projects have been contracted. For more detail on this program, see the Native Vegetation and Biodiversity R&D Program Plan.