Much of the damage to the high plains involves changes to nutrient levels, water quality, and change in the species composition of the grasslands etc, and is not always very obvious to those who perhaps don’t know the alps as they should be. But some damage, such as cattle tracks and erosion, is very obvious.

The two pictures here are aerial photographs of a grazing licence on Mount Fainter, (Bogong High Plains area) in the Alpine National Park.

They show extensive cattle tracks, and subsequent erosion.

(They also indicate the extent of shrubby vegetation on the Bogong High Plains. Cattle have been implicated in the spread of flammable shrubs in many areas.)

click to enlarge

• A summary of the issues
• Should cattle return to fire-affected areas?
• A fire report to Parks Victoria
• A summary of the science
• List of selected references
• Independent assessment of the science (MSWord)
• What you can do