Managing biodiversity in our cotton 'landscapes'

Murray River/Berrigan local government area

Area of cotton landscape:
79,800 ha

Area of cotton properties:
6,870 ha

Area of remnant vegetation in the cotton landscape:
20,600 ha (26%)

Area of remnant vegetation on cotton properties:
1,050 ha (15%)

Area of threatened ecological communities in the cotton landscape:
3,700 ha (18%)

Area of threatened ecological communities on cotton properties:
480 ha (46%)

Area of priority zones for native vegetation restoration and enhancement:
10,630 ha

Area of priority zones for vegetation:
2,780 ha


Main vegetation types on cotton properties:

River Red Gum forests, Black Box woodlands, White Cypress woodlands, Native grasslands.

Main threatened ecological communities on cotton properties:

Natural grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains (CE).
Sandhill pine woodland in the Riverina, Murray-Darling Depression and NSW South Western Slopes bioregions (N).
Lowland Murray River aquatic ecological community (N).


Named wetlands in the cotton landscape:

Edward River, Niemur River, Wakool River, Lake Woromur, Lake Poon Boon, Piggery Lake, Mulwala Canal, NSW Central Murray State Forests (Barmah and Gunbower).

Area of wetlands in the cotton landscape:
13,800 ha (17%)

Area of wetlands in the cotton properties:
490 ha (7%)

Length of major rivers in the cotton landscape:
118 km

Length of major rivers on cotton properties:
50 km

Length of minor water courses in the cotton landscape:
162 km

Length of minor streams on cotton properties:
3 km

Main rivers in the cotton landscape:

Edward River, Murrumbidgee River, Wakool River, Merran Creek, Yarrein Creek.


Area of national park in the cotton landscape:
0 ha

Area of state forests in the cotton landscape:
0 ha

Area of travelling stock routes in the cotton landscape:
1,237 ha

Examples of public land reserves in the cotton landscape:

none.


Examples of iconic species in the cotton landscape:

 Animals: Duck-billed Platypus, Australian Pelican, Black-breasted Buzzard, Caspian Tern, Malleefowl, Peregrine Falcon, Regent Parrot, Southern Boobook, Southern Bell Frog, Macquarie Perch, Murray Cod, Murray Crayfish.

Plants: Red Darling Pea, River Red Gum.

Examples of threatened species in the cotton landscape:

Animals: Brush-tailed Phascogale (N), Squirrel Glider (N), Australasian Bittern (E), Black-breasted Buzzard (N), Caspian Tern (M), Flame Robin (N), Long-toed Stint (M), Malleefowl (V), Pacific Golden Plover (M), Regent Parrot (V), Swift Parrot (CE), Southern Bell Frog (V), Flathead Galaxias (CE), Murray Cod (V), Murray Hardyhead (N), Trout Cod (E), Hanley's River Snail (N).

Plants: Chariot Wheels (V), Mossgiel Daisy (V), Red Darling Pea (V), Silky Swainson-pea (N), Yellow Gum (N ), Austrostipa wakoolica (E).

View Murray River/Berrigan management actions