Building native grass ID skills to better support landholders

NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust staff recently completed an intensive grass identification workshop to strengthen skills needed to help landholders manage and protect important grassland habitats.  

Ecologist Ben Perrott said grasses are notoriously difficult to identify, even for experienced botanists.

“Being able to confidently identify grasses helps us capture the full breadth of biodiversity on privately-managed conservation areas and spot serious weeds that might otherwise go unnoticed,” he said.  

“Keeping our skills sharp means we can offer landholders the most accurate and up-to-date conservation management advice possible.”

Led by botanist Dr Graeme Lorimer, the 2-day workshop gave participants hands-on experience in examining the key features of grasses both in the field and under a microscope. Dr Lorimer also shared practical insights to support grass ecology and management and help our staff translate technical knowledge into meaningful on-site support.

Ben said techniques for using a microscope to identify grasses helped him distinguish subtle traits between species. Simple field tips, such as using ligule texture – that point where the blade of grass meets the stalk or sheath – to separate native and non-native grasses, are now part of his standard toolkit when advising landholders.

Ben said workshop participants also gained new insights into grass life cycles.

“It was interesting to learn that there are very few native annual grasses in our region,” Ben said.  

“Lachnagrostis is really the only genus that behaves strongly as an annual in the Central West of NSW, which makes it much easier to identify.”

Senior Landholder Support Officer Sharon Cunial said the workshop sharpened her ability to read the landscape.

“Native grasses form the foundation of so many ecosystems,” Sharon said.  

“The more confidently we can identify them, the better we can support landholders to make decisions that benefit biodiversity. Ongoing learning like this makes a real difference on the ground.”

Sharon added that the workshop has introduced identification practice that will now be standard for her, including: “carrying a hand lens in my top pocket for every property visit from now on”.

Participants left the workshop with updated digital identification keys and comprehensive course notes they expect to use regularly in the field.

Native grasses in the Central West
Local Land Services reports that about 403 grass species occur across the Central West Tablelands, Slopes and Plains of NSW, with 251 of them native. These perennial native species are vital to pastures, native grasslands and woodland understories, supporting grazing, biodiversity, and habitat for wildlife. Accurate identification helps landholders recognise valuable native species and understand their ecological significance.