David Hardwick, left, and
Wayne Reading, of Borderway,
Eungella, collecting soil
samples for a workshop that
was hosted at Borderway.
Graziers scratch below
the surface for answers
Graziers in the BBB have delved
deeper into soil health with two of
the best in the ‘soil health’ business –
internationally renowned soil ecologist
and founder of Amazing Carbon
Dr Christine Jones, and agricultural
ecologist David Hardwick, of Soil Land
Food.
LDC hosted seven soil masterclasses
across the Dry Tropics region in August
last year.
They aimed to increase landholder
understanding of biological
mechanisms, especially the role of plant
root exudates and their relationship
with the microbial communities
involved in soil-building.
This knowledge helps landholders
make informed decisions about grazing
practices to enhance soil health,
increase plant productivity for drought
resilience, and improve livestock
nutrition and economic bottom lines.
There is a huge appetite for a
combination of soil, ecology and
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grazing information in the Dry Tropics
region.
Landholders want a better
understanding of the science behind
pasture management.
Grazier Reid Muirhead, of Weetalaba
Station, Collinsville, said he hosted
one of Christine Jones’ masterclasses
because he wanted to learn more about
how pasture management could affect
pasture diversity and productivity, and
the extent to which they nourished soil
organisms.
“It was interesting to learn how these
organisms are important to the cycling
of nutrients and the maintenance of
good soil structure, which, in turn, can
have enormous positive effects on plant
growth and animal production,” Mr
Muirhead said.
Grazier Wayne Reading, of Borderway
Ridge Station, Eungella, said he hosted
one of David Hardwick’s masterclasses
to gain practical skills to assess
the condition of soil on land types
across his property using the Rapid
Assessment of Soil Health (RASH)
approach.
“Learning to assess ground cover, water
infiltration and soil textu e, aggregate
and soil pH, and soil organisms, and
how to better understand soil tests
results means I can make informed
decisions to improve pasture,” Mr
Reading said.
Soil health knowledge is moving
landholders towards restoring
hydrological balance on a catchment
scale and, therefore, strengthening rural
communities through their impact on
farm profitabilit .
This approach, including getting the
best in the business to come into the
region to workshop soil health, aligns
with the overarching aims of the LDC
project, working with landholders to
reduce sediment flowing to the G eat
Barrier Reef by targeting erosion
hotspots and grazing land management
practices.