soil-conservation-people-religion-and-land.pdf - South West NRM

A rational analysis should be made of the usefulness of
the detail on topography and soils as included in past plans.
serious consideration must be given to the use of generalized
mapping of slopes, soil and vegetation types, bearing in mind
that for practical management, slight variations in country
will be combined in manageable-sized paddocks for production
purposes. It is the writer's contention that in most cases a
workable plan can be drawn up without detailed topographic and
soil surveys, provided the landholders' local knowledge of
their properties is sufficient to identify units of the
landscape which require different management. his applies to
suitability for clearing and or cultivation and to
differential carrying capacity and erosion proneness.
OTHER COMMITTEE WORK
It will be found that Land Care Committees want to
initiate projects on a range of aspects of land management
which, although not strictly part of property planning, can
increase knowledge and awareness of many aspects of management
within the plan. Such initiatives should be encouraged in the
fields of land use policy recommendations (eg clearing
guidelines), community awareness and demonstration of land
care techniques (trees, tillage, erosion control). In this
way the parallel developments of plans and techniques can
progress together. It would be a mistake (apart from a
physical impossibility) to concentrate advisory services
solely on property planning in the initial stages of Land Care
Committee activity. Another matter which needs attention is
the encouragement of bankers and other financiers to take part
in planning and management seminars so that credit may be
given (literally) to property holders who are making effective
use of their production potential within a stable and secure
system which can be appreciated by financiers.
One of the central questions requiring early
consideration by all concerned with sustainable production
from "improved countrytv, is that of who should be responsible
for decisions on where and how land should be cleared.
Prtjducers justifiably ask, "What's the use of dense scrub
which is neither productive nor rare?" and point to the
apparenii4y very stable kikuyu pastures carved out of dense
rainforest in North Queensland. In the ~rigalow belt, some 4M
ha of vluseless~~ scrub has been converted into productive
country since -the 1960s. Has the Brigalow Scheme been a
success? Is it stable and sustainable or are the problems of
regrowth and nitrogen depletion the symptoms of faulty
planning and ill-advised development?
Where do we draw the line in defining the following as
suitable for clearing? :
. Minimum rainfall.
0 Slope.
. soil type.
. Soil depth.