Improve Soil Health Soil health is defined by its ability to perform essential ecosystem functions such as: nutrient cycling, water filtration, and habitat provision for plants and animals. Some properties that determine soil health include texture, depth, density, water infiltration and holding capacity, amount of organic matter, nutrient holding capacity (CEC) and respiration. Every one [...]

The Lachlan Valley will be the site of Australia’s first soil carbon trading pilot scheme. The state government says about 300 farmers in the Canowindra, Cudal and Manildra areas will be eligible to participate in the five year scheme. Farmers who can demonstrate increases in the amount of carbon stored in their soil will be [...]

The Federal Government’s carbon farming initiative was passed in the lower house last week with the support of independent MPs Andrew Wilkie, Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and the Greens’ Adam Bandt. The government says the carbon farming initiative will reward farmers for storing carbon through land management practices, like improving soils and planting trees. Mick [...]

“The soil is the fragile membrane that goes right throughout the world and yet we ignore it, we abuse it and we are rarely conscious of it.” Peter Seggers has dug deep to create one of the nation’s first carbon neutral farms, as RACHAEL MISSTEAR reports.

T = Topsoil Topsoil is at the centre of many environmental issues: it makes floods and droughts worse.   Topsoil with good soil surface management retains moisture.  Topsoil without good soil surface management becomes erosion and dust clouds.