Getting Back to the Grass Roots: Using Knowledge of the Regolith to Make Strategic Land Managment Decisions in Central West NSW

Having a sound understanding of fluid movement through the soil and the nutrient flux to plants facilitates wise land management decision-making. Existing information has been gathered in a range of formats by a host of organisations, and tools (eg. maps) have typically been produced at a scale that informs regional decision-making, but is poor for catchment, and on-farm management. Farmers struggle to compile this information, lack skills to interpret it well, and fail to link it with application. This is concerning for government advisers (eg. DIPNR) in areas where regolith and groundwater systems are under pressure die to agricultural land-use practices. This project is a pilot program where detailed regolith-landform characterisation will be conducted, a strategic community education program will be undertaken, and use of the scientific information in land management decision-making will be monitored.