Keep it covered

The top six inches of soil is an incredibly valuable resource for us as it supports our soil microbiome and grows the food, forests and grasslands we all depend on. Unfortunately, exposed topsoil can be easily lost to wind and water erosion, and the processes that create new soil can take hundreds of years.

Terrain NRM’s Landcare Leader Sally Fields says that using cover crops, mulch and holistic grazing practices are important tools we can use to fast track the soil building process and protect soil from erosion.

“Many farmers are incorporating these tools to improve soil health and farm fertility. Increasing organic matter and keeping a living root in the ground maximises water infiltration and also ensures the sunlight energy is converted into sugars for the plants and the soil microbes they rely upon,” she said. “It’s a living system – bare ground is akin to shutting shop and we need to avoid it at all costs”.

John Gargan is a grazier and horticulturalist and has planted sunn hemp into an existing perennial pasture as part of his soil building process to improve pasture health. “In just one year the topsoil has increased from about 6cm to 17cm. The pasture’s looking really rich and nice – it should have high protein levels in it so the cattle will do well,” he said.

Healthy, covered soil also acts like a sponge that soaks up the water and keeps it there for crops to access, whereas bare soil has no protection and becomes hydrophobic. Rain will run off it, taking the topsoil with it.