Grazing Land Management Program

Strategies for perpetuity

The GLM program aims to improve the skills and motivation of pastoralists across the NT in managing grazing lands by promoting, demonstrating and assisting in the use of a suite of tools and techniques developed to optimise production, profitability and land condition. 

Since 2005, the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association and the Department of Resources have been working in partnership to deliver this program through funding received from the National Landcare Program. 

The objectives of the project include:

• Improving the understanding of sustainable land management across the region to reduce and prevent land degradation, improve land condition and protect biodiversity.
• Increasing the uptake of outcomes, results and tools from other relevant research projects across Northern Australia involved with improving pastoralists ability to manage grazing and assess risk through training people to use decision support software.
• Delivery of the GLM workshop and provision of advice and follow up support to pastoralists as they apply what they have learnt through the development of  an individual property grazing management plan that addresses key production and land management objectives.

To achieve these objectives two Grazing Land Management Officers (GLMO's) are employed, one located in Alice Springs, the other in Katherine.

The project was developed to ensure that the NT Pastoral Industry continued to make improvements to land condition through the implementation of GLM plans initiated in a GLM workshop and further developed and applied through the utilisation of the follow up support provided by the GLMO.

The GLM Officer is available to spend time with each individual on their own property to assist in the development and implementation of GLM plans. This is intended to increase the adoption of sustainable and innovative practices by building the capacity of the individual.

Outcomes as a result of this process, and the producer’s personal reflections, were captured and incorporated into testimonial Case Studies and a strategy that will direct the CAGLM program to ensure that the dynamic of change continues across the landscape.

It has been 2 years since the graduates of the first GLM workshop commenced the implementation of their property management plans. It is important that the issues being addressed in those plans are continually monitored and support to management maintained. Therefore the commitment of the project partners continues into the future.

In the future it is intended to customise the GLM workshop for additional regions, ensure that the most up to date information is being presented, maintain the network of GLM graduates through newsletters, field days and property visits, as well as continually look for relevant information and tools that will assist producers to optimise their production, profitability and land condition; ensuring the long term viability of the NT pastoral industry.

For further information on the project, contact:

Central Australia Grazing Land Management
[E] jillian.fisher@nt.gov.au
[P] 8951 8143

Katherine Grazing Land Management
[P] 8973 9749

Please also visit the Department of Resources.