NSW Government
Environment and Heritage

Land and soil

Land and soil are essential to our wellbeing and survival. Learn about the soils of New South Wales, the challenges of land degradation and the capability of land and soil to sustain us, our heritage and the environment.

Aerial view of a rural landscape with patches of greenery and a winding dirt road
Property in the Central West region of NSW.
Credit: Craig Bender/Backbone Productions

What would you like to do?

Get the Soils Near Me NSW app Find out about monitoring soil Record soil information Search guidelines and data Learn about geological diversity
A view of black soil on level alluvial plains.
Liverpool Plains NSW, Self-Mulching Vertosol (Black Earth) cropped under raised beds.
Credit: Fletcher Townsend/DCCEEW
Managing land and soil

Why do we need healthy soils and how do we know if they are healthy? And what part does land management play in soil health?

Dry soil and cracked earth.
Dry soil and cracked earth.
Credit: Simone Cottrell/DCCEEW
Soil degradation

Understand how the quality of soil declines and what causes this decline.

A person stands next to a large soil erosion site, examining the exposed layers of earth
Riverina District NSW, a soil scientist inspecting a soil profile.
Credit: Fletcher Townsend/DCCEEW
Land and soil information

Learn more about the information we hold describing the natural landscapes and soils of New South Wales and why it is so important.

A person in a yellow top and dark pants kneeling on a dirt trail in a grassy field with leafless trees and a clear blue sky in the background
A soil scientist collecting soil information for the Kosciuszko National Park soil mapping project.
Credit: Nicole Simons/DCCEEW
Land and soil publications

Explore our list of technical papers, newsletters and reports for a range of topics related to land and soil.

View of the Breadknife and Grand High Tops at sunset, Warrumbungle National Park.
View of the Breadknife and Grand High Tops at sunset, Warrumbungle National Park.
Credit: Simone Cottrell/DCCEEW
Geodiversity

Learn how rocks, minerals, soils and landforms are shaped over time.

A person is kneeling in a forested area using a tablet next to an upright shovel
Using Soils Near Me NSW app on tablet in field.
Credit: Peter Robey/DCCEEW
Soils Near Me NSW app

Get the Soils Near Me NSW app: freely accessible soil information, wherever you are.

Gloved hands holding soil being sampled for testing
Soil profile sampling.
Credit: Peter Robey/DCCEEW
Land and soil news

View the latest Environment and Heritage news and media releases about land and soil.