SA: Grasslands under threat says minister

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-1999
SA: Grasslands under threat says minister

South Australian Environment Minister DOROTHY KOTZ says native grasslands will be under
threat unless there's more protective work done by Landcare and landowners.

Mrs KOTZ has opened the National Grasslands Conference in the mid-north town of Clare,
saying the state has much more grassland than generally acknowledged.

She says there's an estimated 500,000 hectares of native grassland, but 98 per cent of it
is in private hands and used mainly for grazing.

Mrs KOTZ says there's a need to develop programs to show farmers the value of maintaining
grasslands without impacting on their economic returns.

The government recently bought land near Burra for the first native grassland park.

AAP RTV tjd/pjg/shm

KEYWORD: GRASS (ADELAIDE)

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