Changing Conservation Perceptions in the Australian Rangelands.

Abstract

Attitudes to conservation in the rangelands are shifting rapidly as cultural change alters the ways in which Australians view their history and environment. In earlier times, pastoralists of the outback were seen as admirable pioneers; today, not all Australians hold such a view. In an effort to predict how trends in social change might affect conservation issues I review recent events in the forest and fishing industries, which like the rangeland industries are to some extent based upon public land or resources. The forest industries have been under sustained attack from conservationists, whereas pressure on the fishing industry has emanated from scientists and governments worried about sustainability. Both industries are changing in response to these pressures, and it is possible that animal production in the rangelands will eventually experience similar forces. I suggest that in the long run the rangeland industries will be unable to ignore change, and that in fact the social currents may provide new opportunities.