Soil is fundamental to so many aspects of life. Yet it is something generally taken for granted. It is critically important for our collective future that we manage our soil resources with a long-term view in mind.

To tackle this critical issue, the National Soil Strategy was released in May 2021 with the aim of improving our understanding of Australia’s soil and how to manage it better. To help achieve this goal, Regional Soil Coordinators are funded to assist landholders and land managers to improve the quality of their soil.

I feel very fortunate to be working as a Regional Soil Coordinator. Working in soils is a mid-life career change for me. After growing up on a small sheep farm, I spent 24 years in the Australian Army where experience with soil largely revolved around dust, mud or having to dig trenches with an entrenching tool entirely unsuited to the task.

Looking for a career change, I commenced an agricultural engineering degree at the University of Southern Queensland. I had no clear idea what opportunities would arise from this study. But studying soil and participating in multiple soil judging competitions (invaluable experiences for developing skills in soil description and landscape interpretation) is what really triggered my interest.

My agricultural engineering degree led to commencing a PhD in soil science investigating the spatial variability of infiltration (which I am about halfway through). The inherent variability of soils and the landscape processes that lead to this variability is something I find fascinating.

Australia’s soils are, on the whole, in poor condition and deteriorating. That was the finding of the latest State of the Environment Report 2021. This situation will not be improved without changing how we manage the landscape.

As a Regional Soil Coordinator, the most important role I can play is to enhance the skills and knowledge of the landholders who manage soil and the people who support them.

To that end, over the last year, I attended numerous soil related events, supported a number of soil extension activities, visited many properties and spoke to lots of people about soil. I ran webinars highlighting the fantastic work of both the Australian Government funded Smart Farm Small Grant soil extension activities and the Drought Resilient Soil and Landscape projects running across the Southern QLD and Northern NSW (SQNNSW) region.

I was also involved in several small projects including a project demonstrating on-farm vermicomposting and another project which examined the impact of landscape rehydration works on soil condition.

It is an exciting time with the imminent release of the National Soil Action Plan and the recent budget announcement that the Regional Soil Coordinator program will be extended. Over coming years, I look forward to instigating longer-term plans such as the establishment of a SQNNSW Region Soil Community of Practice, supporting the implementation of the National Soil Action Plan and building capacity through extension activities and programs such as Registered Soil Practitioner Accreditation. All with the aim of improving soil condition for the benefit of landholders, the community and our environment.