DCQ DELVES INTO THE SOILS OF THE CENTRAL WEST
MEDIA RELEASE
Monday 12 October 2009
DCQ DELVES INTO THE SOILS OF THE CENTRAL WEST
How does soil type impact on pasture production? This is one of the many questions that will be addressed at the soil information days being held at The Plains Prairie on the 27th, Corella Station Winton on the 28th and Macsland Station Boulia on the 29th of October.
Following the success of the three soil information days held in the Muttaburra, Longreach and Jericho regions last March, Desert Channels Queensland (DCQ) and the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) are teaming up again to provide expert advice and information on the issues, limitations and benefits associated with particular soil types.
“There was a really great response to the soil information days from producers in the central DCQ region,” Industry Liaison Officer Colleen James who is organising the days said. “By bringing experts into the north and west of our region we aim to provide the most up-to-date information possible on how these particular soil types and their health can affect production.”
Pasture agronomist and specialist in managing soil health Ray O’Grady will share his knowledge of soil carbon and methods of improving carbon cycling.
“There are a lot of people practicing rotational grazing in different forms and they are seeing changes and in some cases they haven’t know what was causing these the change,” said Mr O’Grady.”We will look at what is happening under the ground to make these changes above the ground.”
DERM leading soil scientist John Ross will provide detailed information on soil types at each location with core samples of over a metre deep that have been lab tested showing a range of location specific characteristics including levels of nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, calcium and more.
Peter Burger will demonstrate why the more vegetation or cover on the ground means less water and soil in the creeks. The DERM research scientist says they have used a rainfall simulator to come up with their findings. Participants at the soil information days will head out into the field for demonstrations of filtration and run-off characteristics of different soil types and ground covers through in-field rainfall simulation.
“The more groundcover you have got, the more water infiltrates and the less soil it can carry away with it,” said Mr Burger. “As the surface becomes more exposed, you tend to get more run off, and more soil carried away with the water.”
Delbessie raises a lot of questions and the DERM Delbessie team will be on hand to provide information and answer questions in relation to leasehold land and soil condition monitoring.
These information days are an initiative of the DCQ in partnership with DERM and are funded by the Australian Governments Caring for Our Country and the Queensland Government’s Blueprint for the Bush Programs.
For more information please contact Colleen James on 07 4652 0600 or email colleen.james@dcq.org.au. Check out our web page: www.dcq.org.au.
ENDS
