Reconciling agriculture and nature conservation: toward a restoration strategy for the Western Australian wheatbelt

In this chapter we suggest that a description of the basic nature and extent of revegetation necessary to overcome land degradation in the wheatbelt of Western Australia can be arrived at systematically. In doing so we attempt to focus attention away from a perceived conflict between production and conservation and towards the common ground shared by both i.e., the restoration of basic ecosystem functions. Rather than asking how to protect the existing production system, this approach asks firstly: what form does the vegetative cover of this region need to take to best ensure its long-term health? And secondly: what are the potential economic values of such vegetation that might motivate its establishment? This analysis suggests that in the order of 500 million to one billion trees and shrubs are required over the 15 million hectares of cleared land. It is also suggested that if the revegetation is concentrated into belts and planted with attention to landform and aspect, the production of crops and pastures could be enhanced while Simultaneously providing wildlife habitat and permanent protection against land degradation as well as providing some commercial products from indigenous woody plants. Actual and potential economic and nature conservation values of