Herbfields: Tall alpine herbfields
Tall alpine herbfields commonly have a moderate proportion of grasses as well as herbs,
and occur at lower altitudes than short alpine herbfields.
Pioneer stockmen took advantage of the summer growth of these herbfields to feed their cattle.
Unfortunately, overuse of this resource leads to soil erosion and a tendency for shrubs to increase at the expense of herbs.
The exclusion of cattle in recent decades from some alpine tracts has seen a reversion back to herbfield.
A patch of eyebrights (genus Euphrasia ) produce a colourful display on the Bogong High Plains. Photo: Neville Walsh