Western Australia's Agriculture and Pastoralism in Cultural and Ecological Perspective

Abstract

"Western Australia's agriculture and pastoralism may be viewed as results of interaction between systems of culture and ecology. One feature of this is summarised in two empirical observations that are the basis of this essay: 1. 'At least 1.63 million hectares (9%) of once productive land in the agricultural regions has become salt affected . . . and is likely to rise to about 2.9 million ha. (16%) of the cleared area by 2010' (Salinity, 1995:4). 2. '[Only] 40 percent of the rangelands [are] in good condition . . . 34 percent in fair condition [and] 26 percent in poor condition' (Wilcox and Cunningham, 1994:100. These conditions refer directly to natural plant species diversity, not necessarily to grazing productivity)."