Cultivating Landscape Knowledge
Together

The Cultivating Landscape Knowledge Together project is designed to build practical, local understanding of landscape function across the Gascoyne rangelands. Through workshops, demonstrations and on property learning opportunities, the project supports pastoralists and community members to better understand regional plant species, soil health, water retention and the role each plays in maintaining healthy, productive and resilient landscapes.

The project recognises that strong land management starts with understanding how the landscape is functioning. In the Gascoyne, seasonal variability, rainfall timing, soil condition, plant succession and grazing pressure all influence how country responds over time. By bringing local experience together with specialist knowledge, this project helps participants recognise what plants can tell us about landscape condition, recovery, degradation and long term land system health.

A key focus of the project is increasing knowledge of regional plant species and their role within the broader landscape. This includes understanding recovery species, indicators of degraded land systems and key plant species that support whole of landscape health. The project also explores the important relationship between plant health and soil health, including how ground cover, root systems, soil structure and water infiltration influence landscape function and pastoral productivity.

The project includes a regional workshop with plant and land management specialists, as well as practical demonstrations that help participants see landscape processes in action. These demonstrations will use simple field based tools, including temperature readings, soil compaction testing and plant sugar testing, to support practical discussion around rainfall capture, soil condition, plant response and management decisions. The aim is to make landscape knowledge accessible, useful and directly relevant to pastoral businesses.

This project builds on GPRI’s broader work supporting producer led learning, practical rangeland management and applied landscape monitoring. GPRI’s current project focus includes strengthening landscape function, improving carrying capacity and supporting better decision making in response to seasonal variability and drought.  Public project updates have also highlighted the value of Cultivating Landscape Knowledge sessions in helping producers better understand landscape function, recognise early signs of change and use simple monitoring tools to guide management decisions.

Success for this project will be seen through increased confidence, stronger local knowledge and greater capacity for land managers to read and respond to their landscapes. Participants will be encouraged to apply what they learn on their own properties, share insights with others and continue building practical land management knowledge across the region. Over time, this supports improved decision making, stronger community connection and more sustainable rangeland management outcomes.

The project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program, through the Community Stewardship Grants program.