Build and share soil knowledge
Citizen science is helping to build and share knowledge about our soils.
NSW Soil Knowledge Network
The NSW Soil Knowledge Network is a group of retired and semi-retired soil specialists who want to share their passion for soil and the land.
The network:
- acts a bridge between community and government
- contains a wide range of expertise, from soil research to policy and natural resource management
- has mentors and trainers available to support natural resource managers and land users
- has produced a series of educational videos on topics, including paddock tests for soil health and the difference between saline and sodic soils.
How do I find out more?
Read more about the NSW Soil Knowledge Network.
For news about what the group has been up to and interesting soil stories, ‘like’ the NSW Soil Knowledge Network on Facebook
See NSW Soil Knowledge Network videos on YouTube.
SoilWatch is a soil health program that works with landholders and local land services (LLS). Since the program began in 2008, about 300 monitoring sites have been established at key sites around NSW and the ACT.
The aim is to collect and share knowledge that allows everyone to make better decisions about managing their land.
SoilWatch is a performance monitoring program. It uses paired sites to measure the impact of land management through changes in soil health.
Landholders and LLS staff collect soil samples from the paddock and take photos of the landscape and groundcover. Then then pack samples into a SoilWatch Kit and send to Yanco Natural Resources Laboratory.
Participating landholders receive a report containing the soil test results, a guide to interpret them, and photos of their site.
SoilWatch sampling methods comply with state and national soil monitoring protocols.
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