The Paddock 8/10

Art Size 100 x 75cm Highly productive grasslands are keenly sought after for pastoralism and much of these areas are now in pastoral leases. Terrestrial pastoral lands are carefully managed with grazing management programs, and computer modelling to ensure longevity and productivity and ultimately the sustainability of the beef and lamb industries. Did you know that on the shallow sea floor there are similar grazing areas which are covered in rich seagrass meadows. The big cow of Australia’s northern seas, the dugong, grazes these meadows for all their dietary requirements yet they remain unprotected from the threat of seabed mining and fishing without the added environmental effects such as sea temperature rise. The future of the dugong relies on these underwater paddocks the same as the beef industry relies on good pastoral lands. Legal and lawful protection is one way to ensure the longevity of these fragile grasslands.