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ManagingAustralian Soils

a policy discussion paper

Andrew Campbellwww.triplehelix.com.au

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Outline• Introduction

• Vision & objectives

• Policy Context

• Suggested improvements

• The way ahead

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Strategic Options

1. New omnibus national NRM framework — as

part of a rethink of Federal machinery of govt

2. Stand alone National Soils Strategy

3. Improving soils literacy and delivery within

the current system

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Structure & ContentsIntroduction 1Vision & Guiding Principles 3The policy context 8Improving the policy & delivery framework 17

rebuilding commitment 18rebuilding the knowledge base 24rebuilding capacity 29soils within the regional model 32

A way forward (specific ideas) 34APPENDIX A. Summary of relevant Australian policies 41

APPENDIX B. International developments insoil policy

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Commitment, Knowledge and Capacity

• The ultimate goal is more sustainable soil management

• This paper looks at soil science, policy and info from a

demand perspective

• In order to get better soil management on the ground,

people need to want to do it, know how to do it, and

be able to do it

• i.e. the three key ingredients are commitment,

knowledge and capacity

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Guiding principlesSoil is a crucial natural resource, soil degradation is

serious, and good soil management is important— prevention is much better value than cure; SO

1. It behoves people, communities, industries and governments not toknowingly degrade soil resources;

2. Soil management and policy decisions at all levels should be based onthe best available knowledge;

3. Sustainable soil management is most likely to be achieved throughintegrated approaches to sustainable agriculture and NRM where longterm soil condition is built in as a core consideration;

4. Governments have a responsibility to provide an institutionalframework that encourages and supportssustainable management of soil resources;

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Guiding principles (2)5. Governments also have a responsibility to provide an institutional

framework that constrains and discourages unsustainablemanagement of soil resources;

6. Industries that depend on soils have a responsibility to informthemselves about their impact on soil condition, and to promote andsupport sustainable soil management practices within their industry;

7. With the right to own, manage and use land and soil, landholdersaccept a duty of care to prevent soil degradation, and to implementmanagement practices that maintain or improve soil condition andproductive capacity;

8. Sustainable management of soil resources across the country requirescoordination, cooperation and collaboration among all levels ofgovernment in partnership with industry,land and water managers and the community,regardless of land tenure.

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Policy context - the basic problem• Soils seem to have fallen off the NRM map;

• a lack of recognition of the linkages between soil

management and climate, water and food security;

• general decline in dedicated soils initiatives;

• depreciation of the knowledge base and the

monitoring effort;

• moribund soils profession

(recruitment problems).

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Rebuilding commitment• We need a new narrative around the importance

of better soil management in Australia, and themeasures needed to achieve that;– significant national investment would maximise returns from

existing investments in water and carbon accounting, anddeliver benefits in terms of food, water, biodiversity,greenhouse gas abatement and carbon sequestration

– we need credible numbers on the value of well-managed soils toAustralia, quantifying potential water and carbon implications,and the costs to the national economy (and specific sectors)of soil degradation

• These messages then need a targetedcommunication effort, focused onthe value proposition

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Rebuilding the knowledge base

• We need better knowledge in order to make betterdecisions, to foment innovation and to learn as we goalong;

• McKenzie et al have documented deficiencies in the soilsmapping base and monitoring effort, and why:– it is difficult, long term, not sexy;

– staffing is a challenge with institutional flux and high turnover;

– a fragmented, patchy overall effort across many agencies;

– short term funding needs predominate.

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Rebuilding capacity• multi-faceted education and training approach:

– at tertiary levels within degrees such as agriculture, forestry,geography, water, climate and generalist environmental science;

– opportunities for post-graduate training and research;– in-service adult education (combining face to face and web-based

teaching) for policy staff, planners, community group leaders andinterested landholders; and

– “Train the trainer” workshops to assist the 4000 extension staffand people working for catchment bodies to use and extend soilassessment, mapping and monitoring tools.

• Re-energise soil conservation extension

– including infrastructure and profession

– with a full suite of complementary

policy instruments

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Soils and the regional model• The bilaterals are effectively finalised

– May be scope to insert more soils emphasis if new govt revisits, butdoubtful;

– Program priorities more prospective, and National LandcareProgram is the most likely;

• CMOs are an extremely important target audience;– Could develop generic RCTs and MATs for soils;

– And exemplar on-ground investment projects;

– Incorporated in training modules for CMO staff.

• As for other audiences, we must nail the ‘why?’ question:– Why invest in soils?

– Why are soils so important?

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The way ahead - specific ideas

• Answer the ‘why?’ question:– targeted desk-top economic analyses of the costs of soil

degradation and the potential returns from investmentin prevention

– quantify and articulate the linkages between better soilmanagement and reducing net greenhouse emissions,and improvements in water quality and quantity;

– quantify the soil carbon store & potential changes in it;

– Must be able to refute the drivers behind the marketfailure in soils data.

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The way ahead - specific ideas• develop and promote:

– generic resource condition targets (RCTs) for soils that regionscould use as a template in refining their regional NRM plans;

– decision support tools tailored for catchment and regional bodiesthat assist them to work out the main soil management issues andopportunities within their region;

– generic management action targets (MATs) for soils, perhaps foreach agro-ecological zone; and

– exemplar on-ground soils projects from across the regions,showing how catchment bodies and/or industry groups areworking to improve soil management.

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The way ahead - specific ideas• Some fixes for the soils knowledge base:

– A permanent monitoring agency;– Formalise the expert panels;– Fix up ASRIS so that it can receive and report on data

from monitoring programs;

– A network of long term research and monitoring sites;

– contextual datasets that characterise the drivers of soilchange;

– R&D to improve methods for monitoring soil condition;

– Link local scale and broad scalemonitoring

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Next Steps• Finalise first draft in response to feedback from

NCST and AAC

• Consultation with key stakeholders

• Communication products early 2008

• NRPPC circulation in February

• Consideration at May 08 NRPPC