Judging Range Trend: Interpretation of Rangeland Monitoring Data Drawn From Sites in the Western Australian Shrublands.

Abstract

Although objective monitoring of range trend is underway in most states in Australia, there has been inadequate attention paid to the interpretation and application of this information to management. Given the absence of rules for the assessment of monitoring data in Australia, subjective interpretation is the current option for pastoralists and other land management decision makers in applying the data to management. An approach developed within Social Judgement Theory was used to investigate the judgements made by four pastoralists and one adviser, about range trend using the information provided by WARMS (Western Australian Range Monitoring System). This was done using a series of questions relating to the interpretation of the monitoring data. We found a relatively low level of reliability and consistency in the judgements made by pastoralists. This is to be expected given the unfamiliarity of the task. One pastoralist and the adviser showed moderate to high reliability and consistency. There was variation between all the subjects in the monitoring attributes which contributed significantly to the range trend judgement, with some systematic differences occurring between the adviser and the pastoralists in the use of the information. Recommendations are made which will facilitate easier and more consistent interpretation of the monitoring data, and enable movement toward a shared understanding between pastoralists, researchers and extension personnel of how to interpret range monitoring data.