The Avon River basin lies at the heart of an International Biodiversity Hotspot and contains a rich diversity of natural ecosystems and landscapes. The region is also home to 44,000 residents and supports a vibrant economy underpinned by extensive agricultural and mining interests. The western areas of the Avon region were amongst the first settled in Western Australia. Early settled areas were extensively cleared for agriculture, with less than 5% of native vegetation remaining in some shires (Landgate 2012). Although clearing of native vegetation led to extensive erosion of soils, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s, this was later reduced by the maturing of agricultural soils and broad-scale adoption of conservation farming practices.

Clearing of native vegetation changed the hydrologic cycle within the Wheatbelt, resulting in development of secondary dryland salinity, impacting agricultural land, lakes and river systems and low-lying native vegetation (George et al. 2008). It is estimated that the Avon River basin (ARB) contains approximately 400,000–500,000 ha of severely salt-affected land (Landmonitor, George 2008). The rate of spread of salinity in the region is unknown, but groundwater continues to rise within catchments yet to reach post-clearing hydrologic equilibrium (George 2008). Improved surface water management and strategic revegetation have been undertaken in recent decades in response to the widespread salinity threat, however much work is yet to be done.

Decades of agricultural production have resulted in soil degradation (a combination of soil acidity, salinity, subsoil compaction, soil water repellence, soil erosion and soil structure decline) that costs the Western Australian agricultural sector an estimated average of $1.55 billion/year in lost production (Herbert 2009). Soil acidity impacts approximately 80% of topsoils and 50% of subsurface soils within the ARB (Andrew & Gazey 2010). Improvements in soil health through improved farm management practices and increased rates of liming have resulted from previous investment. However, further improvements in soil health and more targeted management of soil acidity remain as key challenges for the vibrant and innovative agricultural industry of the region.

Increasing climate variability has reduced farm profitability, with average wheat yields falling from 1.74 t/ha in 1998–2002 to 1.4 t/ha in 2007–2011 (ABARE 2012). Reduced yields associated with increasing cost of energy and inputs, continuing declining terms of trade, spiralling debt, difficulties accessing human capital, and declining investment – including into research and development (R&D) –interact to present very difficult challenges for agriculture within the region and throughout the South West of Western Australia (Connell & Hooper 2002, Davies & Tonts 2009, Gunasekera et al. 2007, Planfarm 2011). Predictions for future increases in climate variability, and a less conducive world economic climate, suggest more challenging times ahead for the region’s agriculture, demanding an increased emphasis on risk management and adaptability (Stephan et al. 2006, IOCO 2012, CoA 2007, van Gool & Vernon 2005).

The region’s agricultural industry, which is considered amongst the most efficient in the world, has responded to previous economic challenges by increasing productivity through substitution of capital for labour, adoption of new technologies, and improving economies of scale through farm amalgamation and improved management practice (Alston et al. 2009, Cooks & Levantis 2010). Whilst increases in production have ensured that agriculture has remained profitable, the result has been a loss of resilience through reduced diversity, increased debt, and loss of redundancy within the industry, most dramatically expressed through a declining population throughout the agricultural areas of the region (Longstaff et al. 2010, ABS 2011). The region’s declining population has further precipitated a loss of a range of services in many areas, further impacting community resilience (ABS 2006, Tonts 2004, Tonts 2005).

The agricultural industry is responding to these challenges through the development of effective research partnerships, the emergence of coordinated and connected grower groups and adoption of new and innovative management practice. However, the industry needs additional support to overcome future challenges.

Increasing population in the west of the Avon Arc, principally as a result of urban and peri-urban land development, is placing increasing pressure on water resources and the natural environment, and in  particular the Avon River (WAPC 2001). The associated changes in land use and increased demand for services are placing further pressure on local government planning and infrastructure capacity. Nutrient and sediment load from Avon Arc towns in particular are influencing river pool health and contributing phosphorous to the downstream Swan Canning Estuary (WNRM 2009a, WNRM 2011a, WNRM 2011b, Giraudo 2013). Local government within the region are focussed on meeting the challenges of the future but require access to additional resources to help them achieve better environmental outcomes for the region.

Increasing mining activity in the east of the region presents new challenges and opportunities, through increasing revenue and a more diverse regional economy, but is also placing additional pressure on an already tight labour market and presents new challenges to managing impacts on ecosystems associated with targeted landscapes. Government, NGO’s and mining companies within the region are working together to achieve positive social and ecological outcomes. A continued whole of community response is essential to the future prosperity of the region.

Fragmentation of native vegetation, changed fire regimes, introduced pests (including predators, rabbits and domestic stock), introduced weeds and declining investment all interact to present serious challenges for biodiversity management (Beecham 2002, DEC 2010). In addition, species modelling undertaken to date indicates that predicted climate change may have dramatic impacts on plant communities within the region, further stressing already stretched ecosystems (Fitzpatrick et al. 2008, Yates et al. 2010). Wheatbelt NRM, the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) in association with a range of research institutions are all working to better understand the underlying stressors and develop more effective management responses, however much more work is required in this area.

Aquatic environments are under increasing pressure from a range of stressors, including reduced flows, increased salinity, sedimentation and eutrophication, contaminated stormwater, and loss of riparian vegetation and floodplain connection. In addition, climate change may result in increased severity of flooding. Increases in discharge of acid groundwater from natural creeks and constructed agricultural drains present additional hazards to regional aquatic environments (Jones et al. 2009, WNRM 2011 a, DoW unpublished, Giraudo 2013).

Past investment into protecting and revegetating many reaches of the Avon River and its tributaries has led to dramatic improvements in aquatic health. Additional investment to further restore the regions natural water resources will result in further improvements in water quality with significant downstream benefits.

Senescence of susceptible native vegetation communities through changed fire regimes, loss of native browsers because of exotic predators, and reduced landscape permeability in many areas of the region, is placing extensive pressure on fragile ecosystems (Maher 2007, Short & Smith 1994, Short 2004). Ecosystem resilience has been eroded by a history of passive management of our natural environment and climate change within the region is likely to further reduce ecosystem resilience. Past investment in establishing corridors and controlling feral animals has aimed to reduce impacts of fragmentation and exotic predators. Future targeted investment will be essential to build on the success of previous programs in this area.

Water resources are currently being stretched due to changing rainfall-runoff patterns within the region and predicted future climate variability is likely to result in dramatic water resource management constraints throughout the region (IOCI 2012, ACC 2008). Previous surface water management programs have focussed on whole of sub catchment water management. Future investment is required to build on previous planning and implementation, and to ensure water resources within the region are protected in the face of mounting challenges and stressors.

Mounting community concern over population decline and reduction in the standard of living within the region results from a loss of services and spiralling agricultural debt (Tonts 2004). The community is also concerned about the increasing reliance on agricultural chemicals that may be damaging soil biota, native ecosystems and community health alike.

The Avon Regions community is an incredibly valuable asset, and with an appropriate level of support and with targeted investment will rise up to meet its many challenges.

Achieving future significant and lasting outcomes in NRM and building on the successes of the past decades of investment and planning will require the following fundamentals to be in place:

A Shared Vision – allowing everybody to work together to achieve common goals and aspirations.

Technical Capacity - a solid scientific understanding of what needs to be done to achieve goals and objectives.

Human Capacity - the skills and people-power required to achieve the shared vision(s) through applying scientific knowledge and appropriate land management practice.

Capital Investment - the financial capacity to implement changes essential to achieving the stated goals and objectives.

Whilst we have been working toward achieving these elements, there remains much to be done in achieving a whole-of-community response to the challenges of NRM within the Avon region. 

Development and implementation of effective NRM plans and strategies requires an intimate understanding of the underlying social, economic and environmental systems. For instance, developing and implementing effective fire management strategies for the range of vegetation communities requires a detailed understanding of natural fire regimes, the nature of change already expressed within ecosystems resulting from current and previous stressors, and the likely future interaction of alternated fire regimes with other stress factors including changing climatic conditions and changes in land use (DEC 2010). 

Even though previous investment has significantly improved our understanding of many natural systems within our region, there remains gaps in our knowledge, particularly regarding ecosystem function throughout the region, including fire management within altered ecosystems (DEC 2010, Shedley 2007), effectiveness of corridors, thresholds for conservation of biodiversity at a local and regional scale, extent of future salinity threat, rate of decline of key indicator species and risks associated with loss of paddock trees through the adoption of controlled traffic farming techniques. 

Other major gaps in knowledge include the likely impacts of projected climate change on soil health, biodiversity, aquatic ecosystems and water resources in the region. The rate of spread of salinity is also currently not well understood and poorly monitored, as are nutrient pathways and trends within our precious aquatic environments. 

Effective future NRM outcomes will be enhanced by building on existing linkages between community, industry and research institutions, to ensure that new research is more relevant and more applied. This will ultimately lead to improved effectiveness of adoption pathways and better feedback mechanisms between the community, industry and researches. 

Capital investment is essential to achieving natural resource management objectives for the ARB. The 15 million ha of the Wheatbelt supports a population of 72,000 people (approximately 44,000 within the ARB), and produces 50% of the state’s agricultural production, including an average of 8 million tonnes of wheat per annum (ABS 2011). The GDP of the Wheatbelt region is approximately $6.7 billion/annum, with approximately 47% from agriculture and 30% from mining (WDC 2006, WDC 2011). The region’s agricultural industry has recently experienced a difficult economic period with a run of poor seasons since 2000, including late season breaks, unreliable growing season rainfall and severe frosts. 

Effective NRM within the region requires capital investment. Current investment in managing the nature conservation estate is largely inadequate and private landholders have limited financial capacity and insufficient technical support to manage natural ecosystems on their land. Natural ecosystems require active management, including control of exotic predators and weeds, introduced browsers, weed control and appropriate fire regimes. There is a real cost to managing biodiversity within the region, and there is an enormous benefit to the broader community in the conservation of our natural heritage. 

Significant region-wide investment in water resources management is essential. Changes in the reliability of water supplies associated with changing climatic conditions are predicted to be dramatic, yet limited strategic assessment of future risks has been undertaken to date (IOCI 2012, ACC 2008). Local government has limited resources to develop and implement effective water management strategies; this could have adverse environmental consequences, particularly within the Avon Arc where population growth is projected to double within the next two decades (WAPC 2002). Local Government is expected to develop district and local water management strategies to facilitate better urban water management, yet have virtually no access to resources to undertake the task, outside of a moderate investment through Wheatbelt NRM in previous years. 

The Avon River is a major contributor of nutrients to the Swan Canning Estuary (SCWQIP 2011). The health of the Avon River is threatened by a range of stressors and potential changes in land management practice, yet nutrient concentrations within the river are no longer monitored due to funding cuts. Capital investment in better managing tributaries is essential, as is active management of sediments within river pools (WNRM 2009a). 

On a positive note NRM investment through a range of Wheatbelt NRM programs over the last decade has achieved many tangible outcomes and more recently investment, primarily in infrastructure, through the Royalties for Regions program has also made a significant difference. However, limited investment streams within the NRM field remain an impediment to achieving future social, economic and environmental outcomes for the region. There is a strong need to broaden the base of investment within NRM, to help secure a more positive future for the region.