Best environmental management practice - travelling stock reserves

The Best Environmental Management Practice (BeMP) toolkit helps Local Land Services to deliver land management outcomes for travelling stock reserves consistent with the Travelling stock reserves statewide plan of management. You can download the full toolkit at the end of this page.

About the toolkit

The BeMP deals with environmental matters related to:

• maintaining the conservation value of TSR
• their role in landscape connectivity
• their sustainable use.

The toolkit:

• aids in the consistent classification of the conservation value of individual TSR
• identifies management practices that maintain or improve biodiversity conservation outcomes.

The NSW Environmental Trust Linear Reserves Project funded the development of the BeMP toolkit.

Using the BeMP Toolkit

The BeMP guides the field-based condition assessment and management of TSR based on:

• conservation value
• vegetation condition.

As part of the NSW Environmental Trust Linear Reserves project, a rapid conservation assessment method was developed. This helps TSR managers actively monitor conservation values and adapt management activities to maintain or improve these values over time.

TSR Rapid Assessment Methodology

The rapid assessment method uses a three-part scoring system to assess TSR:

1. conservation status (Part A)
2. landscape context (Part B) measures from existing spatial and data layers
3. vegetation condition (Part C) that is assessed and scored in the field.

The training package and guidelines for the rapid assessment methodology ensure statewide consistency. 

For further information, download the TSR rapid assessment methodology (PDF 2.97MB).

Measuring the Conservation Value of TSR

The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has compiled a ‘best available’ spatial dataset on the conservation value of TSR. 

Historical data on conservation values (high, medium, low, and unknown) for TSR managed by LLS has been compiled as part of the NSW Environmental Trust Linear Reserves project.

TSR Management for Conservation Values

Best environmental management practices for TSR focus on:

• maintaining or improving conservation values over time.

TSR Vegetation Condition Ratings

The size, scale, and diversity of TSR require a consistent method for rating conservation value to guide management principles.

Vegetation condition ratings consider:

• cover
• regeneration potential
• vegetation layers present
• groundcover layer character
• overall attributes.

Managing TSR for maintaining conservation values

Maintaining conservation values for TSR means maintaining vegetation condition over time. The resources required vary according to vegetation condition ratings:

• High-quality vegetation: May require periodic grazing to control exotic species and occasional inspections to manage invasive pests and weeds.
• Moderate-quality vegetation: May require more intensive maintenance to reduce fire hazards and suppress weed populations.

Managing TSR for improving conservation

Improving conservation values of TSR involves enhancing vegetation condition. This may include:

• increasing natural regeneration
• reducing exotic groundcover abundance
• replanting missing vegetation components.

Enhancing existing management practices may involve altering grazing regimes or focusing weed and pest control activities.

New management practices may include:

• revegetation by direct seeding
• environmental weed control
• pest animal control aimed at species preying on seedlings and limiting small woodland birds

Best practice management activities for TSR

The BeMP toolkit provides advice on best environmental management practices for key activities on TSR, including:

• grazing
• apiary
• native seed collection
• emergency response/refuge for livestock
• threatened ecological communities and species
• revegetation
• weed control
• pest animal control
• soil disturbances and drainage changes
• Aboriginal and European cultural heritage.

For more information, download the BeMP toolkit below.