Digging deeper into our region’s soils!

​The Bass Coast Landcare Network is excited to announce that we have received funding from the Commonwealth Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for the ‘Farmers Digging Deeper’ Project. 

This project will support 315 farmers across the region to increase their knowledge of soil health and to better understand the links between soil health, farm productivity and profitability. The project will also help farmers develop management pathways to actively improve their farms soil health and condition.

On 115 farms the project will collect:

• 540 soil carbon core samples;
• 184 soil chemistry samples; and
• 115 soil biology samples.

A series of soil health interpretation training workshops and field days will further support farmers knowledge on soil carbon, natural capital accounting opportunities, and practices proven to increase soil health and productivity.

Five on-farm demonstration sites will be established throughout the region to measure the soil health impacts of multi-species pastures and regenerative grazing management.

The South Gippsland Landcare Network will also form a farmer discussion group focusing on soils and regenerative agriculture. This will compliment an already active discussion network managed by all partners across the region.

This 2-year regional project will run until April 2024 and will be facilitated by the Western Port Catchment Landcare Network. Key partners include Bass Coast Landcare Network, Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network, Mornington Peninsula Shire, South Gippsland Landcare Network & Melbourne Water.

For more info contact Joel Geoghegan at [email protected]

This project is supported by Bass Coast Landcare Network, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program