Rangelands
Almost 75 per cent of Australia is rangelands. Pastoral industries are the dominant agricultural users in the rangelands, through extensive grazing on native vegetation.
Rainfall is generally too low or erratic for agricultural cropping or improved pastures. About 6000 pastoral enterprises occupy 58 per cent of the rangelands land area. These enterprises make significant contributions to the economy but are under increasing market, environmental and economic pressure. Of the total value of agricultural production in the Australian rangelands, pastoral production dominates at $1.8 billion for 2001, with non-pastoral agricultural production estimated at $628 million in the same year.
Through initiatives such as the National Principles and Guidelines for Rangeland Management 
PDF [433kb] and Caring for our Country the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is working to achieve sustainable land management in the rangelands.
DAFF commissioned four reports to help primary producers and other land managers in rangelands adopt sustainable land management strategies. The reports promote a wider understanding of the many issues concerning sustainability in these often remote parts of Australia and also help us develop more effective policy and management options. The four reports are:
- The Rangelands: A Synthesis of Three Reports on Sustainable Natural Resource Management - prepared by the Centre for International Economics | June 2000
- Implementing Landcare in the Rangelands: PGA of WA - prepared by the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia | July 1999
- Implementing Landcare in the Rangelands: Arid Lands Coalition - prepared by the Arid Lands Council | March 1999, and
- Sustainable Natural Resource Management in the Rangelands - prepared by the Centre for International Economics | December 1997
The former National Land and Water Resources Audit, with the support of the former Natural Heritage Trust, prepared a series of reports and fact sheets, among them:
- a report and fact sheets on non-pastoral agriculture in the rangelands
- social and economic profiles for selected regions within Australia's rangelands
The Australian and state governments established the Australian Collaborative Rangelands Information System (ACRIS) in recognition of the management challenges unique to Australia's rangelands.
The system recognises:
- the need for greater cooperation across state and territory boundaries
- the need for a more inclusive and Australia-wide approach to rangelands management
- the need to maximise returns on the limited resources available for rangelands assessment
- addresses the deficiencies in existing state and Northern Territory monitoring systems.
ACRIS is a coordinating mechanism that brings together rangeland information from state and Northern Territory agencies and other sources. ACRIS makes information readily available and provides updates as new information comes to hand. Products and an overview of the outcomes of rangelands monitoring are available from the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website.