Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 History

Summary

Introduction

The grazing lands in gathering and hunting times

The first sheep and their people

Sheep and the Black War

Early environmental impacts of sheep

Two-legged dogs

Yeomen graziers

Firing the landscape

Rabbits, scab and other pestilences

Breeding for environment, purpose and fashion

Transhumance

Technology

Markets

Climate

Conclusions

Chapter 2 Managing the run country for production

Summary

Introduction

Runs, native pasture and bush

Sources of information

The microeconomics of run country

Economic uses of run country

Managing the run country for profit

The enterprise classification

Grazing regimes

Introduction

Influence of environment on pasture management

Set stocking

Rotational systems

Cell grazing

Mixed systems

Spelling

Type of stock

Stocking rates

Fire management

Increasing productivity through inputs

Disease management

Wild animal management

Weed management

Conclusions

Notes

Chapter 3 Conserving on the run country

Summary

Introduction

Maintaining soils

Maintaining water quality and quantity

Conserving nature

Nature conservation values of the graziers

Observations on trees

Observations on other native plant species

Observations on animals

Nature conservation management

Conclusions

Chapter 4 Trees on the run

Summary

Introduction

Causes of change in tree density

Tree thickening and dieback

Compositional change in the thickening process

Putting trees back

Notes

Chapter 5 Sheep and nature on the run country

Summary

Introduction

Sheep and plant species

Fire, air, water, earth and teeth

Effects of grazing regimes on plants

Sheep and invertebrates

Sheep and native vertebrates

Conclusions

Chapter 6 Run country on the run

Summary

Introduction

Clearing

Natives invade previously improved land

Changes in native vegetation remnants 1993–1999

Introduction

Changes in ownership and management

Change in management relative to remnant characteristics

Changes in vegetation characteristics

Do size and age matter? Edge effects in remnants

Introduction

Vegetation differences between edges and centres

Soil differences between edges and centres

Effect of remnant age on differences between edges and centres

Effects of geometry on within-remnant variation

Effect of matrix on differences between edges and centres

Effects of management on differences between edges and centres

Effects of environment on differences between edges and centres

Remnant characteristics and management of biota

Importance of threatened species in remnant management

Notes

Chapter 7 The future of the run country

Summary

Introduction

Bureaucrats and graziers

A nature conservation system

Opportunity cost of nature conservation

Using nature in marketing

A felicitous convergence?

Notes

Chapter 8 Some overall conclusions

Summary

Conclusions

Appendixes

Glossary

References

Index