Soil and land monitoring
It is important to take a consistent approach
to sampling when assessing landscape and soil
health. Effective monitoring is done routinely at
the same site. Monitoring sites should be chosen
based on land type. Ideally, set up a permanent
RASH monitoring site in each major land type
on the property so soil and land changes can be
tracked.
Monitoring can be time-consuming, but with
practice can be performed efficiently during a
normal work day. Keep the RASH equipment,
this manual and scoring sheets together so
monitoring can be done efficiently. If time is
limited, choose the tests most important to
monitor.
Tips for monitoring
1. Locating a monitoring site: Decide where
to set up monitoring sites. Use a property
map and personal knowledge to identify
land types. Set up one, or more monitoring
sites in each important land type. Use GPS,
landmarks and posts to ensure a permanent
location for future monitoring. Choose
monitoring sites at locations typical of that
land type. Avoid hotspot areas such as
laneways or water points. Also avoid sites
remote from stock water as they are seldom
grazed. Alternatively, choose an area
where land is degraded, so improvements
achieved through management activities
can be monitored.
2. Deciding when to monitor: Save time by
including soil monitoring with other regular
jobs on the property. All five tests can be
carried out when the soil is moist (but not
saturated) a week or two after the last rain
event of the wet season in March or April.
Alternatively choose to split the tests to:
• e
nd of dry season – test for soil
infiltration rates, and ground cover; and
• e
nd of wet season – test for soil
aggregate strength, pH, productive plant
cover and soil organisms when soil is
moist, but not saturated.
3. Use a monitoring transect: The RASH
method recommends sampling along a
transect or straight line. A transect is a
line between two markers on the ground.
This needs to start from an identifiable
point such as a post or from a GPS point.
For most RASH indicators, monitoring will
be along this transect. See next page for
details.
Either way, for best long-term results monitoring needs to be done consistently. If it
becomes burdensome, chances are it will not be done.
RASH MANUAL - 7