Get reliable science

The pastoral industry in the Pilbara and Southern Rangelands of Western Australia continues to face very difficult economic, social and ecological situations due to decline in terms of trade and ongoing decline in range condition. Land administration by State government for the pastoral industry has a strong focus on environmental and ecological sustainability but these goals have largely not been achieved. Regional planning and incentive-based approaches have either failed or only been partly successful at pastoral lease scale. This paper identifies four broad economic, social and ecological landscape patterns ranging from economic, social and ecological sustainability to failure across all three dimensions. Some lessees are adapting to economic decline by obtaining work off station or diversification in the limited locations where these opportunities are available, in some cases facilitating landscape restoration. Market-based incentives may be effective where economic viability is attainable but lease buy-back may be required where leaseholders are locked into a poverty cycle. Carbon-based income is problematic until governance and economic parameters are resolved. Mapping the economic, social and ecological patterns in the landscape is a basis for policy and special purpose initiatives to resolve the current very difficult economic, social and environmental situation in the Pilbara and Southern Rangelands.