There are a number of soil management issues that you need to be aware of on your property.  These include soil erosion, excessive nutrients, poor soil health, salinity and acid sulfate soils.

Soil Erosion

Human land use and management practices can increase the natural processes of soil erosion.  Vegetation cover protects soil from erosion caused by wind and water, and also reduces mass movement (land slides or land slips).  The removal of vegetation by clearing, overgrazing, fire or other activities can cause erosion of fertile topsoil and a loss of productivity.  Eroded topsoil will often accumulate in wetlands, streams and dams smothering habitat and reducing water quality, while soil erosion can also degrade or damage property infrastructure, such as fences and roads.

Soil erosion can be a gradual process that is often hard to detect from day to day or it may occur quite suddenly (eg during intense rains or floods).  Indicators of erosion include; bare soil, exposed tree roots, muddy water runoff, silted dams and waterways, soil buildup along fences, or the creation of gullies or rills.

Soil Health and Nutrients

Soil nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, occur in relatively low concentrations in the Australian landscape.  The overuse of fertilisers will lead to excessive soil nutrient build up that will promote weed growth, reduce the health and growth rate of native plant species, and contribute to the development of blue-green algal blooms in waterways and dams.

Soil health on your property can be improved by adding organic matter, such as mulch or composted material, or earthworms and their castings.  The addition of organic matter to soil will improve microbial activity, nutrient holding capacity, and reduce compaction of the soil by increasing its structural stability as well as water infiltration and water-holding capacity.

Salinity

Salt occurs naturally in the Australian landscape.  A combination of ancient marine sedimentary rocks, wind blown salt and a comparatively low rainfall have allowed salt to remain in soil and groundwater.  Salinity is an issue that occurs across Australia in many forms - dryland, irrigation, urban, industrial and river salinity.  Land management practices can cause salinity by raising the water table (eg by irrigation, or by clearing of native vegetation).  Care should also be taken when selecting detergents and cleaning products if greywater is to be recycled on your property as many of these products contain salt.