Managing biodiversity in our cotton 'landscapes'
Balranald/Hay local government area
Area of cotton landscape:
397,700 ha
Area of cotton properties:
139,400 ha
Area of remnant vegetation in the cotton landscape:
153,300 ha (39%)
Area of remnant vegetation on cotton properties:
46,600 ha (33%)
Area of threatened ecological communities in the cotton landscape:
8,900 ha (6%)
Area of threatened ecological communities on cotton properties:
4,300 ha (9%)
Area of priority zones for native vegetation restoration and enhancement:
33,130 ha
Area of priority zones for vegetation:
11,100 ha
Main vegetation types on cotton properties:
Black Box woodlands, White Cypress woodlands, Mulga Woodlands,Mallee woodlands, River Red Gum forests, Lignum shrublands, Chenopodshrublands, Native grasslands.
Main threatened ecological communities on cotton properties:
Natural grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains (CE)
Lowland Murray River aquatic ecological community (N)
Named wetlands in the cotton landscape:
Macommon Lake, Ganaway Lake, Dundomallee Lake, Tori Lake, Paika Lake.
Area of wetlands in the cotton landscape:
63,900 ha (16%)
Area of wetlands in the cotton properties:
27,000 ha (19%)
Length of major rivers in the cotton landscape:
282 km
Length of major rivers on cotton properties:
476 km
Length of minor water courses in the cotton landscape:
120 km
Length of minor streams on cotton properties:
138 km
Main rivers in the cotton landscape:
Murrumbidgee River, Merrowie Creek, Uara Creek.
Area of national park in the cotton landscape:
723 ha
Area of state forests in the cotton landscape:
0 ha
Area of travelling stock routes in the cotton landscape:
18,436 ha
Examples of public land reserves in the cotton landscape: Oolambeyan National Park
Examples of iconic species in the cotton landscape:
Animals: Black Swan, Echidna, Emu, Koala, Malleefowl, Murray Cod, Plains Wanderer, Peregrine Falcon, Platypus, Red Kangaroo, Regent Parrot, Shingleback, Tawny Frogmouth, Wedge-tailed Eagle.
Plants: Brigalow, Old Man Saltbush, River Red Gum, Slender Darling Pea, Weeping Myall.
Examples of threatened species in the cotton landscape:
Animals: Black Falcon (N), Blue-billed Duck (N), Caspian Tern (M), Grey Falcon (N), Grey-crowned Babbler (N), Hanley’s River Snail (N); Koala (V), Murray Cod (V), Plains Wanderer (CE), Regent Parrot (V).
Plants: Lanky Buttons (N), Winged Peppercress (E), Yellow Gum (N).