The SKN celebrated our 10 year anniversary in Orange where it all began, back in December 2014.
SKN Regional In-person Meetings
- Orange; December 2013
- Bathurst; February 2014
- Cowra; February 2014
- Umina; August 2014
- Wagga; November 2014
- Armidale; February 2015
- Port Macquarie; June 2015
- Scone; October 2015
- Young; November 2015
- Queanbeyan; February 2016
- Cowra; August 2016
- Orange; October 2016
- Tathra; February 2017
- Jindabyne; December 2017
- Coffs Harbour; March 2018
- Camden; July 2018
- Orange; October 2018
- Tocal College, Hunter Valley; March 2019
- Inverell; June 2019
- Orange; October 2019
- Blue Mountains; February 2020
- Cowra; February 2021
- Coffs Harbour/Woolgoolga; April 2021
- Cowra; November 2021
- Hay; July 2022
- Menangle; March 2023
- Coonabarabran; September 2023
- Orange; December 2023
SKN Field Trips
- Central Coast; August 2014
- Northern Tablelands; February 2015
- North Coast; June 2015
- Hunter Valley; October 2015
- Brindabella Mountains; February 2016
- Far South Coast; February 2017
- Monaro & Snowy Mountains; December 2017
- NSW Western Division; May 2017
- South Island New Zealand; November 2019
- Blue Mountains; February 2020
- Riverina; July 2022
- North Island New Zealand; December 2022
- Warrumbungles & Pilliga; September 2023
- Orange; December 2023
SKN Train the Trainer Workshops
- Wellington, workshop for Central West farm advisors; August 2015
- Grenfell, mentoring Local Land Services staff on soil management best practice; June 2016
- Cobbora, mentoring Local Land Services staff on soil management best practice; June 2016
- Cowra, workshop for Central West farm advisors and Local Land Services staff; August 2016
- Central West soils tour for DPI staff; March 2018
SKN Soil Pits and Kits Workshops
- Grenfell, Central West Local Land Services; June 2016
- Coonabarabran, Central West Local Land Services; June 2016
- Bega Valley, Landcare; February 2017
- Merriwa, Hunter Valley Sustainable Farming Group Workshop; February 2017
- Fenshome, Hunter Valley Sustainable Farming Group Workshop; February 2017
- Holbrook, Holbrook Landcare; March 2017
- Merriwa, Hunter Valley Sustainable Farming Group Workshop; May 2017
- Forbes, Central West Local Land Services; June 2017
- Peak Hill, Central West Local Land Services; June 2017
- Marthaguy, Central West Local Land Services; June 2017
- Cookamidgera, Central West Local Land Services; June 2017
- Wambangalang, Central West Local Land Services; June 2017
- Spicers Creek, Central West Local Land Services; October 2017
- Holbrook, Holbrook Landcare; March 2018
- Tottenham, Central West Local Land Services; March 2018
- Sandy Beach, Blueberry Field Day, North Coast Local Land Services; March 2018
- Trundle, Central West Local Land Services; April 2019
- Gilgandra, Central West Local Land Services; September 2019
- Spicers Creek, Central West Local Land Services; September 2019
- Lake Cargelligo, Central West Local Land Services; September 2019
- Mendooran, Central West Local Land Services; March 2020
- Condobolin, Central West Local Land Services; March 2021
- Woolgoolga, Blueberry Field Day, North Coast Local Land Services; April 2021
- Leadville, Central West Local Land Services; May 2021
- Tullamore, Central West Local Land Services; June 2021
- Yeoval, Little River Landcare (People, Education & Training – PET Program); March 2022
- Hermidale, Little River Landcare PET Program; March 2022
- Yeoval, ‘Royalla’, Little River Landcare PET Program; May 2022
- Yeoval, ‘Naroo’, Little River Landcare PET Program; May 2022
- Byron Bay, ‘Ewingsdale’, North Coast Local Land Services; September 2022
- Tyalgum, North Coast Local Land Services; September 2022
- Wollongbar, North Coast Local Land Services; September 2022
- Grafton, North Coast Local Land Services; September 2022
- Orara, North Coast Local Land Services; September 2022
- Kundabung, North Coast Local Land Services; September 2022
- Somersby, Greater Sydney Local Land Services; November 2022
- Yeoval, ‘Lanuara’, Little River Landcare PET Program; March 2023
- Towamba, South East Local Land Services; March 2023
- Coolagoolite, South East Local Land Services; March 2023
- Menangle, Greater Sydney Local Land Services; March 2023
- Orange, ‘Oringi’, Little River Landcare PET Program; May 2023
- Coonamble, ‘Yarranbee’, Little River Landcare PET Program & Central West Local Land Services; June 2023
- Curban, ‘Bonayr’, Little River Landcare PET Program & Central West Local Land Services; June 2023
- Little River Landcare Area, discussions about soil results with 6 landholders; October 2023
- Lake Cargelligo, Central West Local Land Services;October 2023
- Orange, ‘Dundee’ Little River Landcare PET Program; November 2023
Field Days
- Australian National Field Days at Borenore (Orange); October 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
- Monaro Field Days and Webinars on track erosion management; 2020, 2022
SKN Videos (on Website and Youtube Channel)
- Who we are
- Our purpose
- Paddock tests for soil health
- Your soils from top to bottom
- Why soils are so important
- Saline and sodic soils – the difference
- Iconic Soils of NSW – Red Chromosol
- Iconic Soils of NSW – Black Vertosol
- Iconic Soils of NSW – Red Dermosol
- Iconic Soils of NSW – Yellow Kandosol
- Iconic Soils of NSW – Yellow Sodosol
- Iconic Soils of NSW – Podosol
- Iconic Soils of NSW – Alpine Soil
- Managing erosion from tracks and drainage line crossings, 6 videos in the series; 2021-23
SKN Position Statements
- Soil and Land Use Planning
- The Carbon Storehouse – Soil Organic Carbon
- Soil Biodiversity
- No-Till Cropping and Herbicides
- Bushfires and soils
- Groundcover
- Regenerative agriculture
- Soils and droughts
- Solar farms
- Landcare
- Best Practice Land Management
- Cover cropping
- Compost
SKN Media Releases
- Cowra Research Centre to store vital soil information
- Urgent action needed to stabilise burnt soils
Member Publications about SKN
- On‐ground extension of soil information to improve land management. Ian Packer, Greg Chapman & John Lawrie. Journal of Soil Use & Management; https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12494, pp75-84; January 2019
- Sharing soil knowledge and evaluating progress in the New South Wales Soil Knowledge Network. Sally McInnes‐Clarke, Brian Jenkins, Andrew Rawson & Brian Murphy. Journal of Soil Use & Management; https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12502, pp105-116; February 2019
- The New South Wales Soil Knowledge Network – a possible model to help maintain rangelands expertise? Daryl Green. Range Management Newsletter 20/2 August 2020
https://austrangesoc.com.au/the-nsw-soil-knowledge-network-a-possible-model-to-help-maintain-rangelands-expertise/
Expert Reviews by SKN Members
- SKN members reviewed the Land Management within Capability Assessment for the Nature Positive Farming Program conducted by NSW Department of Planning and Environment; June 2023
- Key Considerations in Sequestering Carbon as Soil Organic Carbon; 2021. SKN Website, https://www.nswskn.com/key-considerations-in-sequestering-carbon-as-soil-organic-carbon/
- Questions about the Sequestration of Soil Carbon – some comments about the Soil Carbon Forum 22 April 2021, https://www.nswskn.com/questions-about-the-sequestration-of-soil-carbon-some-comments-about-the-soil-carbon-forum-22nd-april-2021/
SKN Legacy Documents
- Retrieval of important legacy soil documents from former Soil Conservation Service Research Centres and offices, and some Department of Agriculture facilities; 2014 onwards
- SKN scanning of legacy documents after prioritising through an SKN triage process; 2015
- Strategic Plan for Preserving Soil Legacy information endorsed by SKN with guiding principles, plan of action and sub-committee; 2020
- Cowra Research Centre available for storage of SKN legacy documents; February 2021
- Cataloguing Soil Conservation Service (SCS) publications including Technical Manuals & Urban Capability Studies; 2020
- Soil Conservation Service funding for 3 years for digitising SCS legacy documents onto the TROVE platform in the National Library of Australia (NLA); 2020
- TROVE Project 1: digitising “Conservation Farming” and “Bibliography of Cracking Clay Soils”; TROVE Project 2: digitising 25 SCS Technical Manuals; TROVE Project 3: digitising 29 SCS Urban Capability Studies; 2022
- Saving soil records & journals etc at the former Wagga Soil Conservation offices; May 2023
- TROVE Project 4: digitising historic SCS Kosciusko Summit Area Works Program photos; November 2023
- NLA agree to TROVE Project 5: digitising Western Division publications comprising 4 SCS Technical Manuals, 6 Western Division Grazier Guides and 10 Western Division Rangeland Reviews; 2023
- NLA agree to TROVE Project 6: digitising SCS publication “Soils and Vegetation of the Natural Gas Pipeline” Sections 1-4; 2023
- Remaining SCS funding to digitise onto TROVE SCS legacy publications nominated by SKN; 2024
Soil Presentations by SKN Members
- Sydney, Australian Museum, Why soils are important, SKN presentation and activities for school children; April 2015
- Canberra, Australian Citizen Science Association Conference, poster presentation on SKN educational video series; July 2015
- Orange, National Landcare Conference, poster presentation about SKN Videos; 2015
- Bega, ABC Radio interview with SKN members; February 2017
- Armidale, University of New England, SKN oral presentation; February 2017
- Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, 21st World Congress of Soil Science, SKN poster paper, Soil expert systems need on ground extension experience, lessons from the NSW Soil Knowledge Network; August 2018
- Sydney & online, National Landcare Conference, SKN presentation; August 2021
- Darwin, National Soil Conference, 2 oral presentations by SKN members; June 2023
- Canberra, Sequestering Carbon Workshop, NSW Branch of Soil Science Australia, oral presentation by SKN member on the practicalities of measuring soil organic carbon; October 2023
SKN Strategic Initiatives
- SKN established with support of NSW Department of Environment; 2013
- SKN delegation met at NSW Parliament House re NSW Soils Policy; 2013
- SKN Constitution and Incorporation; April 2014
- SKN Facebook page initiated; July 2014
- SKN Website initiated; January 2015
- SKN Rules of Engagement and Draft Bylaws prepared
- Initial agency workshop, Wellington; August 2015
- Western Local Land Services scanning contract; June 2017
- SKN videos on YouTube
- Introducing SKN article in Australian Rangelands Society Newsletter; July 2020
- SKN Zoom meetings commence; June 2020
- SKN HQ & storage facility developed at Cowra Research Centre; February 2021, 2023
- SKN participated in the development of the National Soil Strategy
- SKN participated in the Consultative Committee of the National Soils Strategy Action Plan for NSW
- Liaison and collaboration with the National Office and NSW Branch of Soil Science Australia
- Various letters to Ministers regarding the Biodiversity Act and supporting the removal of brumbies from Kosciusko National Park because of damage to soil and ecosystems
- SKN marketing and promotion including SKN Christmas cards with soil sample, SKN calendars, SKN postcards & SKN business cards
- SKN wrote to a range of influential people (Ministers, Parliamentarians and CEOs, Local Land Services, NSW Soil Conservation Service, Soils for Life, National Soils Advocate, National Australia Bank etc) promoting SKN’s cause and investigating options for future collaboration
- Discussions with CEO and staff at Soil CRC, Newcastle University and Grains Research & Development Corporation about ongoing collaboration with SKN
- SKN contributed to the national accreditation criteria for Registered Soils Practitioners under the auspices of Soil Science Australia
Miscellaneous
- Monaro Soils and Geology Tours for LLS; 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
- Canberra, National Soil Conference, SKN members on organising committee, soil judging & leading mid-conference field tours; November 2018
- Narara, Mad about Dirt Expo, SKN stall with displays and activities; May 2019
- Nyngan, soil erosion control workshop for landholders, Central West Local Land Services; September 2020
- Condobolin, soil erosion control workshop for landholders, Central West Local Land Services, September 2020
- Wagga Wagga, SKN instigated the Drought Soils Project with Local Land Services; June 2021
- Western Local Land Services, SKN input to Western Region Natural Resource Management Plan 2022-2026; February 2022
- Sydney, National Landcare Conference, SKN members attended; August 2022
- Ballarat, National Soil Judging Competition, soil judging by SKN member; November 2022
- SKN contribution to the Soil Capacity Gap Analysis Report Framework for the Southern Queensland Drought Hub; February 2023
- Darwin, National Soil Conference, SKN member on organising committee, 2 oral presentations by SKN members; June 2023
- Camden, property planning workshop for Greater Sydney Local Land Services; October 2023
- Wyong, property planning workshop for Greater Sydney Local Land Services; October 2023
- Canberra area, SKN member a tour guide for NSSET tour; November 2023