Taroom Shire Potters Flat, QLD. VAST-2: Tracking the Transformation of Australia's Vegetated Landscapes

<br>The aim of this project is to compile land use and management practices and their observed and measured impacts and effects on vegetation condition. The results provide land managers and researchers with a tool for reporting and monitoring spatial and temporal transformations of Australia’s native vegetated landscapes due to changes in land use and management practices. Following are the details about the Taroom Shire Potters Flat. </br><br> Pre-European benchmark-analogue vegetation: The site was originally brigalow <em>Acacia harpophylla</em>, mixed community associated with overstorey several species, including <em>Eucalyptus coolabah</em>, <em>E. cambageana</em>, <em>Casuarina cristata</em>, and a range of understorey species, grassy woodlands and open forests. </br><br> Brief chronology of changes in land use and management:<ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>1860: Area used for sheep grazing by shepherds</li> <li>1870: Permanent fences established</li> <li>1875: Start of continuous or set stocking with sheep</li> <li>1880: Incursion of prickly pear started</li> <li>1904-1929: Continuous grazing with sheep</li> <li>1929-1932: Gradual increase in cattle numbers, decline in sheep</li> <li>1930-1935: Land clearance via ringbarking</li> <li>1932-1970: Almost continuous grazing with cattle - relatively low stock numbers</li> <li>1935: Prickly pear had been destroyed</li> <li>1940-1955: Re-clearing brigalow regrowth with axes and fallen timber burnt</li> <li>1956-1960: Brigalow regrowth left unchecked</li> <li>1960-1962: Brigalow regrowth pulled mechanically and burnt</li> <li>1962-1970: Regrowth commenced restabilising without treatment or control</li> <li>1970: Area/s designated as blocks to be left as shelter belts for cattle</li> <li>1970: Commenced managing areas surrounding the site regrowth (i.e. shelter belt) mechanically</li> <li>1971-2010: Areas surrounding the site regularly and intensively managed with ploughing, fertilising the pasture and cropping</li> <li>1971-2010: Site almost continually used as shelter belt for cattle - high use.</li></ul></br>