Hillslope Erosion Project
The Hillslope Erosion Project aims to build awareness of hillslope erosion and to increase adoption of best practise mitigation techniques to minimise future soil erosion.
Fodder germination at the current trial site at Jetsonville, Tas.
Focus
Focus
The Hillslope Erosion Project will focus on areas in northern Tasmania with intensive cropping enterprises and high susceptibility to hillslope erosion such as Deloraine and Scottsdale. Trial sites will be established over the duration of the project period to investigate the cost-benefit ratio of different hillslope erosion mitigation techniques.
“Any cover is better than no cover at all. You need to think of these techniques as a form of insurance, because it’s worth your time and the cost involved to protect your most valuable asset.”
“Any cover is better than no cover at all. You need to think of these techniques as a form of insurance, because it’s worth your time and the cost involved to protect your most valuable asset.”
Dr Bill Cotching
Dr Bill Cotching
Bamboo pegs measure the deposition or erosion of soil.
Heavy rainfall was simulated at the end-of-trial field day in Weetah.
Value
Value
Tasmania's most productive vegetable growing areas have long suffered from significant hillslope erosion due to high rainfall, sloping paddocks, and crops that require bare seed beds.
Satellite images show red/brown flumes of soil being washed out to sea from intensive vegetable production areas following intense rainfall, resulting in the loss of some of Tasmania's most nutrient-rich soils.
Delivery
Delivery
Soil erosion mitigation techniques will be communicated and promoted through:
- field trials implementing a selected range of erosion mitigation methods (i.e. cover cropping, deep ripping, ripper-mulching) with methods to monitor effectiveness;
- data, image and sample collection to determine economic impacts;
- review of historic studies and trials on hillslope erosion in Tasmania’s vegetable industry;
- field days to demonstrate and showcase hillslope erosion interventions, present results and economic data; and
- workshops and mentoring to enable further awareness and practice change adoption.
Monitoring pegs are spaced throughout the site, to calculate an average per hectare.
Resources
Resources
Partners
This project is supported by NRM North, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
Partners
This project is supported by NRM North, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
Land Program & Projects
Land Program
Return to the Land Program.
Weeds Action Fund
Tackling high priority weeds that affect agriculture and the environment.
Soil Acidification
Raising awareness of the limitations in productivity caused by soil acidification in pastures.
Soil Carbon
Improving carbon flow into the soil in cropping systems and pasture.
Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator
Providing important core agricultural services within the NRM North region.
Vegetation and Biodiversity On-Farm
Supporting landholders to protect remnant vegetation and plant diverse native species