Taking a Closer Look at Soil

Taking a Closer Look at Soil

A new tool has been provided for NRM and Farmer Group Officers, including WANTFA, to assist NRM professionals to diagnose soil health issues in the field. Soil Assessment Kits (SAK’s) are designed to provide some guidance in 'simple' Soil Health diagnostics. 

The SAK has been developed by Tim Overheu from the Department of Agriculture and Food WA for the Avon and other regions in WA. SAK’s have been provided by the Soil Health Extension Project, a joint initiative of South Coast NRM and the Avon Catchment Council, funded by the National Landcare Program.

One of the key aims of the Soil Health Project is to connect land managers interested in better understanding and managing their soil with those who can provide answers and information. With an ever increasing level of interest in soil management issues, it is hoped that the SAK’s will be well used in the Avon region to achieve this goal.

The SAK contains the tools required to enable an NRM or Farmer Group Officer to carry out tests with a land manager, including soil acidity, core density, estimation of ground cover, field soil biology assay tests, soil texturing and field sampling.

Training will be provided to the NRM Officers using the kits to ensure they are used most effectively. They will also be linked in to a network of soil health professionals to enable them to follow up with information and advice for farmers as needed.

Rochelle Pyle (ACC) checking the SAK contents before handing
over to Don Cummins (WANTFA) so he can give out farmers