Quantifying Production-Environment Tradeoffs Associated with Grazing Land Management – A Case Example from the Australian Rangelands

Contemporary Australian rangeland management is characterised by concurrent processes of a continuing intensification of land management practices and simplification of landscape ecological processes. This dual characteristic is associated with increasing levels of potential conflict between land management practices that promote improved economic performance of rangeland enterprises at the apparent expense of the ecological health of the landscape; and vice versa. A framework is described for making assessments of production and environmental tradeoffs for a range of rangeland management practices. Examples of the application of the framework are presented for 2 options, tree clearing and riparian fencing, respectively using case studies of a rangeland livestock enterprises located in 2 regions of Queensland.