Pastoralists and farmers from across Western Australia will soon have to comply with tightened land management standards as the state government boosts efforts to reverse degradation.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is leading an overhaul of the current lands monitoring and assessment system.
It means more rigorous compliance checks will be introduced for improved oversight of issues such as soil erosion, salinity and flooding.
The change was prompted by a 2017 report from the Office of the Auditor General, which found the current standards did not adequately protect the ecological sustainability of the WA pastoral estate.
The first draft framework for sustainable pastoral management has been formed for the west Kimberley, with unique regional standards to be developed across the state.
DPIRD executive director Rick Fletcher said the new framework would provide clearer expectations for landholders and consistent triggers for enforced remedial action.
"What we're mainly trying to do is give people a very clear understanding of what targets and limits they need to meet and then when we do come on and do an assessment on their properties, then there's no surprises," he said.
Does this mean destocking?
The new framework sets out a new risk-based assessment approach, with mitigation activities outlined for different levels of land degradation.
The amount of livestock carried on properties, or stocking rates, will be among factors more heavily scrutinised.
"Obviously cattle grazing is probably the primary generator of degradation and really what we're looking for is, if it's required, then you have to adjust your stocking rate down to what's an appropriate level," Dr Fletcher said.
"The office of the [soil] commissioner is very keen to work with pastoralists in the first instance to try and get, you know, voluntary agreement about what actions need to be taken.
"There is a regulatory stick at the end, but we're hoping that that will be used in a relatively small number of cases."
Other reparation activities triggered may include earthworks, the installation of fences or reseeding native pastures.
Concerns raised
DPIRD has held meetings on the changes with pastoralists in the west Kimberley, where the first new framework will be trialled on five properties next year.
Some concerns have been raised about the costs and practicalities of the changes.
Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association's business development officer Lauren Bell said while many were broadly understanding of a need for improvements, a large responsibility was being left with pastoralists.
"The ball was dropped in terms of monitoring, and people who are current leaseholders need to make changes now, but they obviously need support around accessing the appropriate information and strategies to meet those obligations," she said.
Ms Bell said it was also unclear how the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act would interact with the heightened management standards.
"The question was raised whether that Act will limit pastoralists' ability to respond in a timely fashion to undertake remedial soil works," she said.
"So if they have to apply for permission to undertake those works, and then if permission is taking a while to come through, or there is a quite an onerous fee structure associated with the survey works, how that might impact their financial ability to undertake the works required."
Concerns around reduced carrying capacities and the accuracy of remote monitoring technology have also been raised.
Statewide rollout
Under the Soil and Land Conservation Act, similar measures will be rolled out across all forms of land outside of WA's urban area.
The Nullabor, east Kimberley, Pilbara and southern rangelands are next in line, with southern landholders on freehold land also subject to change within the next five years.
"The type of approaches we're looking to apply with the agricultural regions, particularly associated with avoiding wind erosion, say on grain areas," Dr Fletcher said.
Submissions on the initial draft framework are open until December 2.
