Land Condition

Land condition is the capacity of the land to respond to rain and produce useful forage. It is a measure of how well the grazing ecosystem is functioning. For example, is the soil absorbing and storing rain or is it like a table top with water exiting quickly and causing erosion? Is the pasture palatable, perennial, and capturing maximum solar energy and responding quickly to minor rain, or is it struggling?

Land condition is related to stability, or the ability of the land to keep functioning effectively following disturbance (e.g. drought, fire, overgrazing). Land can be classified into A, B, C, or D condition to indicate function and stability. Knowing the condition of the land can inform management decisions so that condition does not deteriorate or is improved.

The video above introduces the concept of land condition. Guides are available for the Barkly, Sturt Plateau and Victoria River Districts, or visit the Future Beef website

Acknowledgement: Grazing Land Management - Katherine version - workshop notes - MLA Edge network