Soil health indicators
Soils have three key aspects to their condition:
physical, chemical and biological. All are
important and each influences the other.
Healthy soil is in good condition across all
three areas, resulting in a well performing soil
ecosystem and grazing landscape.
More rainfall will infiltrate into the ground and soil
nutrients will be able to cycle effectively.
The RASH approach assesses key indicators
relevant to grazing systems in the region.
It uses practical indicators that can be measured
easily and are known to be key properties strongly
influencing soil health and land function.
There are five main indicators used as part of the
RASH approach.
This manual also demonstrates how to assess soil
texture. This is important in determining different
land types.
RASH indicators
Indicator
Description
Ground cover condition Describes what is covering the soil surface, as it:
a. assesses how well the surface of the soil is protected by ground cover
such as plants, plant litter, fallen branches and manure; and
Water infiltration
Aggregate strength
b. assesses how much of the landscape is covered by productive plants
such as perennial grasses and legumes.
Describes how effectively rainfall enters the soil during rainfall events.
Indicates two features of soil strength, as it:
a. assesses the stability of the aggregates that make up soil structure; and
Soil organisms
pH
b. indicates the possibility of soil with excess sodium content in its clay
(sodic soil).
Counts the diversity of soil organisms in the soil.
Measures the acidity, or alkalinity of the soil.
RASH MANUAL - 5