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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 30(3)

The Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (WARMS) – operating a regional scale monitoring system

P. E. Novelly A F , I. W. Watson B E , P. W. E. Thomas C and N. J. Duckett D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Tropical Savannas Management CRC, PO Box 19, Kununurra, WA 6743, Australia.

B Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Centre for Management of Arid Environments, Northam, WA 6401, Australia.

C Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Centre for Management of Arid Environments, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.

D The Woodlands, Texas 77382, USA.

E Current address: CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, PMB Aitkenvale, Qld 4814, Australia.

F Corresponding author. Email: pnovelly@agric.wa.gov.au

The Rangeland Journal 30(3) 271-281 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ07047
Submitted: 29 June 2007  Accepted: 3 October 2007   Published: 21 August 2008

Abstract

The Western Australian Rangeland Monitoring System (WARMS), a state government monitoring activity, provides information on change in Western Australia’s pastoral rangelands. It consists of a set of permanent sites, on which measurements of perennial vegetation (direct census in shrublands and perennial grass frequency and woody cover in grasslands) and assessments of soil surface condition are recorded at either 3-year (grasslands) or 5-year (shrublands) intervals. Data collection is non-destructive. Site distribution is based on vegetation type, and WARMS reports at the vegetation type or regional level, not individual site or property level.

Operating WARMS requires a range of defined conventions to ensure that personnel changes and the interval between samplings at any one site do not lead to confounding of results through variation in how data are collected. The number of sites (1622) and program timeframe (decadal) mean that data storage and management issues are critical. Data interpretation, including the interpretive framework and use of ancillary data to assist in interpreting causality, and provision of information products relevant to a range of users are also important operational aspects. A companion paper addresses the institutional requirements for WARMS, system design and the rationale behind this design.

Additional keywords: indicators, landscape function analysis, natural resource monitoring, range condition, range health, grazing impact.


Acknowledgements

It is to be expected in a program with its roots in the 1970s that numerous people contributed to the development of WARMS. These include, but are not restricted to those responsible for its initiation, science and development (Peter Curry, George Gardiner, John Morrissey, Alec Holm, Ron Hacker and David Wilcox) and those who have (and in some cases continue to) toil tirelessly over the years to collect, analyse, interpret and extend the data (Jim Addison, Richard Allen, David Beurle, Don Burnside, Andrew Craig, Geoff Eliot, Matthew Fletcher, Wayne Fletcher, Casey Griffiths, Dave Hadden, Tricia Handasyde, Bernie Kok, Lloyd Morey, Kerry McCarthy, Bob McCartney, Andrew Mitchell, Kevin Shackleton, Val Shrubb, Kerry Skinner, Sarah Strutt and Sarah Wyatt). Obviously, some have worked in both roles. Earlier drafts of this paper were considerably improved by the comments of John Ludwig, Lamar Smith and Alec Holm, and Wal Whalley, as editor of The Rangeland Journal, further improved the manuscript. WARMS is a core funded activity of the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.


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