Land use

Competition for land resources in Australia is putting increasing pressure on our natural systems. Land use for agriculture, forestry, mining, industry, urban development and recreational use continues to intensify, with widespread impacts to land condition.

Land use can have impacts on air and water quality, wildlife habitat, watershed function, and waste production and public health.

Land development creates impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots and paved areas that allow little or no water to reach the ground below, increasing runoff, erosion and waterway pollution. In natural settings, soils and vegetation help filter stormwater before it reaches our creeks, rivers and oceans, absorbing excess nutrients, sediment and other harmful chemicals. Unsustainable land development can lead to increased air pollution and urban ‘heat islands’ that can worsen human health problems and contribute to heat-related illness and death.

Agricultural land uses can affect water quality and supply through runoff of pesticides, fertilisers and nutrients and overextraction of water resources for crop irrigation. Livestock grazing alongside creeks and rivers can damage riparian vegetation and increase erosion and sediment, water temperature, and nutrient levels. Overgrazing and the use of fertilisers can also increase the spread of invasive species that can alter habitats and ecosystems, decrease biodiversity, and impact the health of livestock and local communities. Australia’s farmers are working hard to use the latest technology and sustainable agriculture practices to protect their land so it can keep producing food and fibre for many generations to come.