Changes in land management practices have reduced wind erosion in the cropping areas of far south-western NSW, Australia

Abstract

Since the mid-1970s, approximately 250 000 ha of rangelands in semi-arid far south-western NSW, Australia, have been converted to cropping land use, resulting in substantial wind erosion. Wind erosion is of concern because of its adverse impacts on soils, agricultural production, aviation, energy supply, human health and ecosystem function. Over recent decades, multi-faceted extension programs have promoted sustainable land management practices to reduce wind erosion. Repeated biannual paddock surveys were undertaken between 2003 and 2022 to determine (1) the best land management practices (BMPs), that is, those that would reduce erosion while maintaining productivity and profitability, and (2) whether the use of the BMPs changed over time. The BMPs that reduce wind erosion included chemical fallow, standing stubble, and perennial pastures. Between 2003 and 2022, the proportion of sites with BMPs increased from 14% to 75%, and the proportion of sites with wind erosion fell from 23% to 9%. Practices that reduced ground cover and led to frequent erosion have declined, including tilled pasture, tilled stubble and grazed stubble. In drier years, livestock grazing crop stubble exacerbated the erosion hazard. In an attempt to understand where landholders obtain their information for land management practice change, the Western Local Land Services (LLS) conducted a social benchmarking survey in 2020 that indicated that the LLS was the third source of information for practice change after neighbours and other landholders, and stock and station agents. Although the LLS is a source of information, this study could not determine a causal link between LLS programs and practice change. Further research is required to test whether extension programs can reduce the overgrazing of stubble.