28 Jan 2026
“The current dry conditions are posing a serious threat to soil and pasture health across a wide area of the State” according to Ian Packer, president of the NSW Soil Knowledge Network.
Pasture stress and death, loss of soil nutrients and soil carbon, pulverization of the soil surface by stock and its exposure to erosion are all exacerbated by drought and continued grazing by livestock (and native and feral animals).
Wind erosion during drought, and water erosion during and following drought, denude and degrade bare soil with long-term and even permanent effects, negating previous soil management gains.
Groundcover is the key to soil health and soil protection
It is critical to monitor groundcover levels and take action to destock or reduce grazing pressure before cover levels drop below 80% on steep Coastal Lands and 70% on the Slopes and Tablelands. On the Western Plains and Rangelands the critical level for water erosion is 40% and 50% for wind erosion- leaving standing vegetation and stubble.
For estimating cover levels there are free satellite groundcover maps available, such as http:/www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/aclump/land-cover/ground-cover-monitoring-for-australia, and there are several simple on-ground methods.
If these critical groundcover levels are passed, as they now have been in parts of south-western NSW, then emergency soil conservation measures can be taken: contour furrowing on suitable country to control water runoff and roughening the soil surface to form clods that are more resistant to wind erosion.
A popular and efficient alternative to total destocking is the Stock Confinement Area: confining core breeding and other valuable stock in yards, pens or small sacrifice paddocks, with full feeding, watering and conservation of stock energy.
“We encourage land managers to monitor groundcover and take timely action to destock and/or move stock to confinement feeding areas. Local Land Services can supply detailed information, and there is a reference paper entitled Managing Soils in Drought with Stock Confinement Areas on the SKN website: www.nswskn.com“ said Mr Packer.