Soils

The National Land & Water Resources Audit (the Audit) developed the framework for consistent collection and collation of natural resource data across Australia.

The National NRM Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (NM&EF) called for the identification of key ‘topics’ or ‘matters for target’. Each matter for target has a set of ‘indicators’ that will be used as a guide to monitor and report on the topic.

Matter for target: Soil condition

Indicator heading: Soil condition

Indicators (endorsed by the Audit Advisory Council December 2007):

• Soil acidification (pdf - 454KB)
• Soil carbon (pdf - 890KB)
• Water erosion (pdf - 803KB)
• Wind erosion (pdf - 402KB)

Trial Regions

WA—Avon, Northern Ag
NSW—Murrumbidgee, Northern Rivers/Gwyder
Qld—Condamine
NT—Douglas Daly, Alice Springs
Vic—Mallee
SA—Murraylands
Tas—Cradle Coast

Sponsor Agency

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has primary portfolio responsibility for this topic.

National Coordination

The national coordination of soils is managed by the National Committee for Soil & Terrain (NCST) formerly known as the Working Group on Land Resource Assessment (WGLRA).

The National Committee for Soil and Terrain (NCST) and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) are supported by the Australian Collaborative Land Evaluation Program (ACLEP) funded by the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and managed by CSIRO.

National Database

The Australian Soil Resource Information System (ASRIS) was initiated through the National Land & Water Resources Audit in 1999. The initial release of ASRIS 2001 provided primary inputs for a broad range of simulation modelling studies supported by the Audit.

The Atlas of Australian Soils dataset was developed by CSIRO in collaboration with Australian Government, state and territory agencies. On-line access is provided to the Atlas of Australian Soils through the Australian Natural Resources Atlas and the Data Library. Handbooks are out of print and current availability of digital copies is uncertain.

Audit Related Publications