A $2.34 million investment by the Albanese Labor Government and the Tasmanian Government will improve knowledge of the state's carbon-rich soil and better guide land use for a more sustainable agriculture sector.
This funding will be used for projects to locate and protect the state's 'high soil carbon landscapes', as well as quantify their carbon storage content and potential and will be delivered through monitoring, change management, training and heritage programs.
The funding is being delivered under the National Soil Action Plan.
The Action Plan has developed partnerships with states and territories to deliver 17 projects to address priority actions in support of good soil management and further demonstrating this Government's commitment to soil.
The projects are being funded as part of the $20 million from the 2023-24 Federal budget to implement the plan in addition to co-contributions from each state.
They complement investments under the Natural Heritage Trust Climate-Smart Program, including $36 million to improve soil information and soil expertise, and $130 million to support farmers to adopt climate-smart sustainable agriculture practices.
New soil monitoring sites, on-the-job training and graduate mentoring delivered by the partnership will also help identify threats from current land management practices and promote better soil conservation and stewardship of natural resources.
These measures will enable improved decision making and planning by land managers - in both production and conservation landscapes - and inform climate change carbon emission and sequestration calculations.
A report on Aboriginal high soil carbon landscapes history will also be compiled in consultation with Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania and relevant Tasmanian Aboriginal groups.
Many areas in Tasmania have relatively high soil carbon and the state has previously conducted digital soil mapping of its Wilderness World Heritage Area. The project will build on this existing wilderness mapping to increase knowledge and assist calculation of carbon storage and sequestration.
Mapping areas outside the heritage area, the latest project will also contribute to a national framework and standards.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP:
"This important project will improve knowledge of high soil carbon landscapes within both agricultural and conservation landscapes in Tasmania.
"The Tasmanian government has identified a shortage of appropriate soil information to assist emissions and sequestration calculations - so the carbon and natural capital information produced by the project will allow for mitigation and adaptation.
"It will deliver guidance products and tools for sustainable land management and inform important climate change calculations.
"Areas with high soil carbon often are home to important and seasonal surface water and groundwater reserves, so the work will also aid understanding of wetland, riparian, floodplain and swale areas and aquifers that are key during drought."
Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jane Howlett MP:
"Addressing soil health and long-term soil security for our farmers will help our agricultural sector to prosper.
"Through this project, a range of fit-for-purpose products and tools to inform climate change calculations will be delivered which will help to inform priority areas for conservation and future studies.
"Historically under-represented Tasmanian soils will be identified and these landscapes then classified to Australian standards.
"The project's findings will support drought resilience planning by farmers, communities and land management organisations under the Future Drought Fund."
