Contemporary land-use pressures on the land environment

Land (2016, 2011)

Contemporary land-use pressures on the land environment

Nature conservation areas, other protected areas, minimal-use land and Indigenous land

The size of the conservation estate and the area of land managed by Indigenous organisations continue to increase, although there are still concerns about the adequacy of representation of ecosystem types

Year(s):

2016

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Nature conservation areas, other protected areas, minimal-use land and Indigenous land

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (those referenced in the text) and information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Recommendations made by the Indigenous Advisory Committee to the Department of the Environment and Energy.

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

The extent of these areas is increasing, but active management of various forms is needed to protect or maintain their environmental values

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

Grazing

Grazing is still a significant major land use, with a range of potential impacts. Slight declines in grazing (mostly intensive, rather than extensive, grazing)

Year(s):

2016

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Grazing

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Targets for managing land to reduce run-off of sediment, nutrients and pesticides are outlined in the Queensland Government’s Reef Water Quality Protection Plan and associated documents and programs (http://www.reefplan.qld.gov.au/).

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

Grazing impacts on environmental values are decreasing in some regions but increasing in others

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

Dryland and irrigated agriculture

Agriculture continues to disrupt environmental services and threaten integrity of some land types, although improvements in land management continue. Modelling suggests that these management changes will reduce impacts on agricultural systems and downstream environments

Year(s):

2016

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Dryland and irrigated agriculture

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Land use and management

Local and landscape-scale impacts in agricultural regions may be high, and appear to be diminishing for some factors but increasing for others

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Land use and management

Native production forests

Challenges in achieving agreed management targets could impact biodiversity values, although most environmental service values will still be met

Year(s):

2016

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Native production forests

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

The vision, goals, objectives and policies for managing native forests are addressed in Australia’s State of the forest report (http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/forestsaustralia/sofr).

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Vegetation

The extent and scale of commercial wood harvesting from public native forests have diminished substantially, and harvesting and other activities are strongly regulated

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Vegetation

Plantation forests

A net decrease in the size of the plantation estate (because of declining investment) will have major impacts on the industry, but, because of its small footprint, a relatively minor impact at the national scale

Year(s):

2016

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Plantation forests

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

The vision, goals, objectives and policies for managing native forests are addressed in Australia’s State of the forest report (http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/forestsaustralia/sofr).

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

The expansion of plantation forests was significant in some regions, but impacts on environmental values were generally limited, unless the site was converted directly from native vegetation. The area of plantation forests remained small as a proportion of land area, and plantation forestry became more strongly regulated

Year(s):

2011

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

Urban and rural residential

Ongoing conflict among land-use options, with urban and residential use alienating high-value agricultural land, are likely to continue as population pressures increase around major cities

Year(s):

2016

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Urban and rural residential

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Some of the issues relating to the environmental management of urban systems are being addressed by the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Programme CAUL (Clean Air and Urban Landscapes) Research Hub (http://www.nespurban.edu.au/).

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

The impacts of urban and rural residential development are substantial in the areas in which they are concentrated (i.e. around major cities and along parts of the coastline), and are increasing. The scale of development is increasing in these areas

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

Mining

Although mining developments have contracted, there are still significant new mine site developments in areas of potential high impact and conflict with other land uses. The legacy of past mining is still large. There is considerable public concern about unconventional gas developments

Year(s):

2016

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Mining

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Some of the critical environmental impacts of coal mining and coal-seam gas exploitation are being investigated through the Australian Government’s Bioregional Assessment Programme (http://www.bioregionalassessments.gov.au/).

Potential social, economic and environmental challenges and opportunities for the gas industry are being independently addressed by the Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (http://www.gisera.org.au/).

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

The scale of mining is increasing rapidly, and the potential impact on environmental values from new forms of mining is substantial in those regions where it is occurring

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

Waste disposal

Waste management is mostly well regulated. Increasing re-use is encouraging, but per-person waste production is growing

Year(s):

2016

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Somewhat adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not comparable

Waste disposal

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions. .

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Waste disposal and the impacts of industrial by-products, waste, rubbish and debris are also discussed in Atmosphere, Biodiversity, Coasts, Inland Waters and Marine chapters.

Comments

This assessment is based on recent publications and expert opinion, and does not reflect the assessment approach taken in SoE 2011.

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

The impacts of waste disposal are generally low because of management systems and the small relative area affected. However, the volume of waste is increasing, and impacts are concentrated around major settlements or industrial centres

Year(s):

2011

Improving

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Contemporary land-use pressures

Assessment Summary Key

Grades

Very low impact

There are few or negligible impacts on land environmental values

Low impact

Current and expected impacts are not widespread, and may affect only a small number of land environmental values

High impact

Current and expected impacts are widespread, and may irreversibly affect land environmental values

Very high impact

Current and expected impacts are widespread, and will irreversibly affect land environmental values

Recent Trends

Improving
Stable
Deteriorating
Unclear

Confidence

Adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence and high level of consensus
Somewhat adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence or high level of consensus
Limited: Limited evidence or limited consensus
Very limited: Limited evidence and limited consensus
Low: Evidence and consensus too low to make an assessment

Comparability

Comparable: Grade and trend are comparable to the previous assessment
Somewhat comparable: Grade and trend are somewhat comparable to the previous assessment
Not comparable: Grade and trend are not comparable to the previous assessment
Not previously assessed

Metcalfe D, Bui E (2016). Land: Contemporary land-use pressures on the land environment. In: Australia state of the environment 2016, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra, https://soe.environment.gov.au/assessment-summary-57-contemporary-land-use-pressures-land-environment, DOI 10.4226/94/58b6585f94911

The assessment summaries in State of the Environment reporting provide snapshots of key information, and focus on identifying areas for continued or more concentrated attention on strengthening environmental systems to cope with pressures in the future. Assessment summaries are provided for state and trend, pressures and management responses in each of the themes. The summary text in the assessment tables should be read in conjunction with the explanatory text in each section of the theme chapters.

The authors have indicated the strength of the evidence for assessments with a ‘level of confidence’. If adequate high-quality data were available or consensus was high, confidence is indicated as high. If there were only limited data or consensus to determine grades, confidence is indicated as low. Where data are insufficient to attempt scores, this is also indicated, and the component remains on the list to remind readers that it is still an important aspect of the Australian environment, and that more information is needed to improve our understanding and capacity to respond to environmental challenges.

Contemporary land-use pressures on the land environment