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Contact:                       
Contact Person              Roxane Blackley
Company Name Taroom Shire Landcare Inc
Telephone Number         07) 4627-4481
Fax Number                  07) 4627-4336
Email Address               roxane.tslg@bigpond.com
Web site address           http://www.taroom-wandoan-landcare.com.au

Landcare encouraged by Fitzroy Basin Association to improve soil health

Wandoan, Queensland, 01 July 2006 — Taroom Shire Landcare Group Inc has signed a ninety thousand dollar Innovations grant with the Fitzroy Basin Association to monitor and test methods of soil management that will increase productivity and sustainability.

The ‘Regenerating soils and the rangelands’ project utilises world renowned Soil Foodweb Analysis^TM  technology available through The Soil Foodweb Institute laboratory in Lismore, New South Wales.

Project participants will combine their knowledge and Soil Foodweb Analysis^TM results to identify the health of their soil then implement and monitor programs to address deficiencies.  “It may take a while but can we not to” one of last years participants remarked;  “applications of biology and nutrients have kept some areas greener for longer, hopefully we can do it on a big scale”.  Estimates of expected production or economic gains will be compared against real gains throughout the project. 

Previous Taroom Shire Landcare projects have found soils in the Taroom – Wandoan district do struggle to support production.  While pasture and crops may look good in the paddock, their resistance to drought, heat and disease is poor.  With low or seasonal rainfall soils have very little buffering capacity, and dry out too quickly. 

Soil micro-organisms were also found at levels 10 to 95% below those expected in healthy systems. A key reason for this is that soil carbon levels that support organisms have declined over many years of production. One of the key aims of this project is to apply management practices that feed organisms and increase the amount of soil carbon.    

Regenerating soils and the rangelands will continue until June 2007 as a joint initiative between the Fitzroy Basin Association and the Taroom Shire Landcare Group, established in 1989 by local landholders to improve their natural resources.

Regular newsletters and reviews of results will be published in the monthly editions of the Taroom Shire Landcare Group newsletter. 

For further information or to participate in the project, contact Roxane Blackley on 07)46274481. 

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APPROVED BY:

Chairman                                  Joanne Rodney   
Taroom Shire Landcare Inc.        Fitzroy Basin Association           Soil Foodweb Institute